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New Anatolian, Turkey
Feb 9 2007
Gul presses against 'genocide' resolution
The New Anatolian / Washington
09 February 2007
In Washington on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
continued working against the Armenian genocide resolution set to be
debated in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Foreign Minister Gul met several members of the U.S. Congress in
order to discuss recent developments in Turkish-American relations.
He essentially underlined the threat posed by the resolution on the
so-called Armenian genocide towards relations between the two
countries.
After meeting with John Murtha, chairman of the Defense Subcommittee
of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, Gul
had talks with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, both Democrats.
After participating in the luncheon given in his honor at Congress by
members of the U.S.-Turkey Congress Working Group, Gul met with
Robert Wexler, co-chairman of the Turkish-American Friendship Group
and Democratic Party congressman from Florida.
Gul also spoke with Democrat Tom Lantos, a Jewish congressman from
California and chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, as
well as Congressman Roy Blunt of Missouri, from the minority
Republican Party.
Ankara: FM got positive impression
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Bilman said on Wednesday
that Gul left the U.S. Congress with positive impressions.
Expressing Ankara's uneasiness on the so-called Armenian genocide
resolution, he stated that Gul had answered questions posed by
congressmen on the Armenian allegations and clarified the issue.
The Turkish foreign minister also late Tuesday warned the U.S.
Congress that passing the resolution on the so-called Armenian
genocide would harm relations with his country.
"Passage of even a nonbinding resolution in either chamber would
seriously harm our bilateral relations," he stated.
Gul described the possible resolution as an irritant to otherwise
close cooperation with the United States on vital issues including
bringing political stability to Iraq, preventing nuclear
proliferation and connecting Asian energy supplies with European
markets. Even as the Bush administration says it will work with
members of Congress to head off the genocide resolution, Gul warned
that the U.S. government should not get involved in the sensitive
dispute.
"I believe that Turkish-American relations should not be taken
hostage by this issue," he said. "I see this as a real threat to our
relationship."
The administration also sees the issue as a threat to relations with
Turkey, a key strategic ally. The administration has opposed previous
attempts by members of Congress to pass resolutions
However, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi,
avoided meeting with Abdullah Gul, even when the two leaders were in
the same hotel.
Pelosi, who supports the so-called genocide resolution, rejected a
request from the Turkish Foreign Ministry for a meeting with Gul.
Pelosi's office said her schedule during Gul's visit to the U.S.
would be too busy to fit him in.
Feb 9 2007
Gul presses against 'genocide' resolution
The New Anatolian / Washington
09 February 2007
In Washington on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
continued working against the Armenian genocide resolution set to be
debated in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Foreign Minister Gul met several members of the U.S. Congress in
order to discuss recent developments in Turkish-American relations.
He essentially underlined the threat posed by the resolution on the
so-called Armenian genocide towards relations between the two
countries.
After meeting with John Murtha, chairman of the Defense Subcommittee
of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, Gul
had talks with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, both Democrats.
After participating in the luncheon given in his honor at Congress by
members of the U.S.-Turkey Congress Working Group, Gul met with
Robert Wexler, co-chairman of the Turkish-American Friendship Group
and Democratic Party congressman from Florida.
Gul also spoke with Democrat Tom Lantos, a Jewish congressman from
California and chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, as
well as Congressman Roy Blunt of Missouri, from the minority
Republican Party.
Ankara: FM got positive impression
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Bilman said on Wednesday
that Gul left the U.S. Congress with positive impressions.
Expressing Ankara's uneasiness on the so-called Armenian genocide
resolution, he stated that Gul had answered questions posed by
congressmen on the Armenian allegations and clarified the issue.
The Turkish foreign minister also late Tuesday warned the U.S.
Congress that passing the resolution on the so-called Armenian
genocide would harm relations with his country.
"Passage of even a nonbinding resolution in either chamber would
seriously harm our bilateral relations," he stated.
Gul described the possible resolution as an irritant to otherwise
close cooperation with the United States on vital issues including
bringing political stability to Iraq, preventing nuclear
proliferation and connecting Asian energy supplies with European
markets. Even as the Bush administration says it will work with
members of Congress to head off the genocide resolution, Gul warned
that the U.S. government should not get involved in the sensitive
dispute.
"I believe that Turkish-American relations should not be taken
hostage by this issue," he said. "I see this as a real threat to our
relationship."
The administration also sees the issue as a threat to relations with
Turkey, a key strategic ally. The administration has opposed previous
attempts by members of Congress to pass resolutions
However, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi,
avoided meeting with Abdullah Gul, even when the two leaders were in
the same hotel.
Pelosi, who supports the so-called genocide resolution, rejected a
request from the Turkish Foreign Ministry for a meeting with Gul.
Pelosi's office said her schedule during Gul's visit to the U.S.
would be too busy to fit him in.