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TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER WARNS OF BREAK WITH U.S., ISRAEL OVER WWI ARMENIAN MASSACRE
International Herald Tribune
The Associated Press
Oct 9 2007
France
JERUSALEM: Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan warned that his
country's relations with both the United States and Israel could be
harmed if the U.S. Congress passes legislation declaring the World
War I massacre of Armenians a genocide, according to an interview
published Tuesday.
Babacan called on Israel to use its influence to stop the
legislation. An Israeli official said Babacan expressed his concerns
during a meeting with Israel's foreign minister.
Interviewed by the Jerusalem Post daily, Babacan said, "The
perception in Turkey right now is that the Jewish people, or the
Jewish organizations let's say, and the Armenian Diaspora, the Armenian
lobbies, are now hand-in-hand trying to defame Turkey, and trying to
condemn Turkey and the Turkish people."
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks during World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars
as the first genocide, or planned extermination, of the 20th century.
Turkey, however, denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying
that the toll has been inflated and that those killed were the victims
of civil war and unrest.
In August the New York-based Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish
organization known for combatting anti-Semitism, reversed its position
on the issue and labeled the killings as "tantamount to genocide."
"If we see that Jewish organizations are deliberately and in a very
comfortable way using then word genocide in a statement, this is a
problem for us. This offends Turkey," Babacan told the paper.
Babacan, who arrived in Israel on Sunday, said Turkey "would be
happy if the Israeli authorities" could pressure Congress to ensure
"nothing goes wrong there."
"If something goes wrong in Washington, D.C., it inevitably will
have some influence on relations between Turkey and the U.S., plus
the relations between Turkey and Israel as well," he said.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Babacan raised the
issue during his meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Sunday.
"We listened closely to his concerns, and we shared with him our
position," Regev said, but refused to give details.
International Herald Tribune
The Associated Press
Oct 9 2007
France
JERUSALEM: Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan warned that his
country's relations with both the United States and Israel could be
harmed if the U.S. Congress passes legislation declaring the World
War I massacre of Armenians a genocide, according to an interview
published Tuesday.
Babacan called on Israel to use its influence to stop the
legislation. An Israeli official said Babacan expressed his concerns
during a meeting with Israel's foreign minister.
Interviewed by the Jerusalem Post daily, Babacan said, "The
perception in Turkey right now is that the Jewish people, or the
Jewish organizations let's say, and the Armenian Diaspora, the Armenian
lobbies, are now hand-in-hand trying to defame Turkey, and trying to
condemn Turkey and the Turkish people."
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks during World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars
as the first genocide, or planned extermination, of the 20th century.
Turkey, however, denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying
that the toll has been inflated and that those killed were the victims
of civil war and unrest.
In August the New York-based Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish
organization known for combatting anti-Semitism, reversed its position
on the issue and labeled the killings as "tantamount to genocide."
"If we see that Jewish organizations are deliberately and in a very
comfortable way using then word genocide in a statement, this is a
problem for us. This offends Turkey," Babacan told the paper.
Babacan, who arrived in Israel on Sunday, said Turkey "would be
happy if the Israeli authorities" could pressure Congress to ensure
"nothing goes wrong there."
"If something goes wrong in Washington, D.C., it inevitably will
have some influence on relations between Turkey and the U.S., plus
the relations between Turkey and Israel as well," he said.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Babacan raised the
issue during his meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Sunday.
"We listened closely to his concerns, and we shared with him our
position," Regev said, but refused to give details.