Turkey outraged over U.S. Armenian genocide resolution
{{date|October 12, 2007}}
[[Image:ArmenianGenocideRecognition.png|right|thumb|275px|Countries that have offically recognized the killings as genocide.]]
[[Turkey|Turkish]] officials have expressed outrage over a [[United States]] congressional [[w:US House Resolution 106|resolution]] labeling the [[w:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]'s World War I era killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians as "genocide". The Turkish government has warned that the resolution threatens its strategic partnership with the U.S.

The resolution, passed 27-21 by the [[w:United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs|U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs]] on Wednesday, states that "[t]he Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and children were killed".  The resolution calls on the President " to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide."  

The World War I era killings, commonly referred to as the [[w:Armenian Genocide|Armenian Genocide]], have been [[w:Recognition of the Armenian Genocide|recognized as genocide]] by 22 countries, including [[France]], [[Russia]], [[Venezuela]], [[Argentina]], and [[Canada]]. The killings have also been officially labeled as "genocide" by 40 of the 50 U.S. states. Turkey acknowledges that Armenians were killed, but calls it a massacre rather than an organized campaign of genocide.

On Thursday the Turkish government released a statement saying that "It is unacceptable that the Turkish nation should be accused of a crime that it never committed in its history." "We still hope that the House of Representatives will have enough good sense not to take this resolution further," the statement added. A statement on the Turkish Foreign Ministry web site said that the resolution "will not only endanger relations with a friendly and allied nation but will also jeopardize a strategic partnership that has been cultivated for generations."  

On Thursday, Turkey recalled its U.S. ambassador Nabi Sensoy, and warned of further repercussions. "Yesterday some in Congress wanted to play hardball," said Turkish foreign policy adviser Egemen Bagis. "I can assure you Turkey knows how to play hardball."

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said he was "disappointed" by the vote. While acknowledging that "[w]e understand the feelings that people have about the tragic suffering of the Armenian people," Stanzel warned that "Turkey is playing a critical role in the war on terror and this action is problematic for everything we're trying to do in the Middle East and would cause great harm to our efforts." U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] had lobbied against the resolution, saying that it would damage relations between the U.S. and Turkey.

House of Representatives speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] said the resolution will go forward for a vote in the House despite Turkish opposition. "As long as there is genocide, there is a need to speak out against it," Pelosi said.

{{haveyoursay}}
== Related news ==
*{{wikinews|title=French parliament approves bill on Armenian Genocide denial|date=October 12, 2006}}

== Sources ==
{{Wikipedia|US House Resolution 106}}
{{Wikisource|US House Resolution 106|US House Resolution 106}}
*{{source|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071011/ts_afp/turkeyuspoliticsarmeniahistoryvote
|title=Turkey urges US Congress to halt Armenian 'genocide' bill
|author=
|pub=AFP
|date=October 11, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/071011/usa/us_politics_armenia_turkey_history_whouse
|title=White House disappointed by Armenian "genocide" bill
|author=
|pub=AFP
|date=October 11, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aSadgbKml95w&refer=home
|title=Turkey Recalls Ambassador After U.S. Armenian Vote (Update3)
|author=Ali Berat Meric and Louis Meixler
|pub=Bloomberg
|date=October 11, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/11/us.turkey.armenians/?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail
|title=Turkey recalls ambassador over genocide resolution
|author=
|pub=CNN
|date=October 11, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-10-11-voa71.cfm
|title=US House Speaker: Armenian Genocide Measure Will Go Forward
|author=Dan Robinson
|pub=Voice of America
|date=October 11, 2007}}

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[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Turkey]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:George W. Bush]]
[[Category:Nancy Pelosi]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Europe]]

[[es:Turquía ultrajada tras decisión de EEUU sobre resolución del 'Genocidio' Armenio]]
[[fr:Une commission du congrès américain reconnaît le génocide arménien]]
Countries that have offically recognized the killings as genocide.
Turkish officials have expressed outrage over a United States congressional resolution labeling the Ottoman Empire's World War I era killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians as "genocide". The Turkish government has warned that the resolution threatens its strategic partnership with the U.S.

The resolution, passed 27-21 by the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, states that "the Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and children were killed".  The resolution calls on the President " to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide."  

The World War I era killings, commonly referred to as the Armenian Genocide, have been recognized as genocide by 22 countries, including France, Russia, Venezuela, Argentina, and Canada. The killings have also been officially labeled as "genocide" by 40 of the 50 U.S. states. Turkey acknowledges that Armenians were killed, but calls it a massacre rather than an organized campaign of genocide.

On Thursday the Turkish government released a statement saying that "It is unacceptable that the Turkish nation should be accused of a crime that it never committed in its history." "We still hope that the House of Representatives will have enough good sense not to take this resolution further," the statement added. A statement on the Turkish Foreign Ministry web site said that the resolution "will not only endanger relations with a friendly and allied nation but will also jeopardize a strategic partnership that has been cultivated for generations."  

On Thursday, Turkey recalled its U.S. ambassador Nabi Sensoy, and warned of further repercussions. "Yesterday some in Congress wanted to play hardball," said Turkish foreign policy adviser Egemen Bagis. "I can assure you Turkey knows how to play hardball."

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said he was "disappointed" by the vote. While acknowledging that "we understand the feelings that people have about the tragic suffering of the Armenian people," Stanzel warned that "Turkey is playing a critical role in the war on terror and this action is problematic for everything we're trying to do in the Middle East and would cause great harm to our efforts." U.S. President George W. Bush had lobbied against the resolution, saying that it would damage relations between the U.S. and Turkey.

House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi said the resolution will go forward for a vote in the House despite Turkish opposition. "As long as there is genocide, there is a need to speak out against it," Pelosi said.
North America United States Turkey Politics and conflicts George W. Bush Nancy Pelosi Asia Europe