Turkey: We will not return envoy until U.S. resolution on Armenian genocide
Ankara recalled ambassador after U.S. House panel approved a non-binding measure concerning the killings.
By Reuters Tags: Israel newsTurkey said on Tuesday it will not send its ambassador back to Washington until it gets a "clear sign" on the fate of a U.S. resolution branding the 1915-era killings of Armenians by Turkish forces as "genocide."
NATO member Turkey, a pivotal U.S. ally, was infuriated and recalled its envoy after a U.S. House panel last week approved the non-binding measure condemning the killings.
"We will not send our ambassador back unless we get a clear sign on the outcome of the situation regarding the Armenian bill," Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying by state-news agency Anatolian. He did not elaborate.
Erdogan has said the resolution will damage U.S.-Turkish ties, although the Obama administration has vowed to stop it from going further in Congress, fearing damage to ties with Turkey.
Turkey, a secular Muslim democracy that has applied for membership of the European Union, is crucial to U.S. interests in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and the Middle East.
The issue of the Armenian massacres is deeply sensitive in Turkey. Turkey accepts that many Christian Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks but vehemently denies that up to 1.5 million died and that it amounted to genocide -- a term employed by many Western historians and some foreign parliaments.
The opposition nationalist MHP Party has called on parliament to take steps against Washington's use of the Incirlik air base on Turkey's Mediterranean coast.
Incirlik plays a key role in logistical support for U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Turkey has also said the resolution could jeopardise a fragile drive by Turkey and Armenia to end a century of hostilities and lead to further instability in the south Caucasus, a region crisscrossed by oil and gas pipelines to Europe.
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There is a fundamental difference between the US and Turkey. Turkey has enough self-respect to stand up to someone who goes out of their way to insult it. America knows only how to grovel at the feet of Netanyahu. Let us face reality. Obama threw himself supine upon the ground when Netanyahu kicked him in the nuts a year ago. Obama refused to take on the republicans or pursue those criminal organizations like Black Water, Halliburton or KRB. Obama even refused to pursue the promotion of any restraint upon Wall Street. Nor did he ever try to promote his 'health care' agenda. At least Turkey has a government willing to defend itself against affront. Obama cowers while Netanyahu acts. This cowardice is NOT the fault of Israel. It is Barak Obama who will not lift a finger to protect himself or achieve any of his alleged goals.
I'm sure this resolution would be stopped.
What difference does it make? If you're Jewish, how would you feel if the modern German government denied that the holocaust was an act of genocide by claiming it was some form of symmetric warfare. How'd you feel if that was what was taught in their schools? Would it make you feel safe? Would it make you feel like it couldn't happen again? I could care less about reparations, but history is important.
so that humanity doesn't allow it to occur again. It is called accountability.At this moment Nigerian muslims are chopping up Christian children literally and this to must be acknowleged.Genocies,holocausts,brutal killings of innocents individually and en masse must be a crime against humanity, acknowledged and the accused must stand trial so that all of humanity knows that any attempt to destroy a whole culture or religion is not ever going to be tolerated on this planet earth. That's why. The turkish people must acknowlege what they did or they will repeat it!! Just like the Nazi's must stand trial and the world must never forger!!In Darfur, the Islamic regime must be accountable for genocide, in Nigeria, the Muslims must be accountable for mass killings, in China, all over the world genocide must never go unnoticed.I hope the US congress pushes this resolution through so the Islamists in Turkey can look in the mirror and see who they really are
WOW - I am taken aback by your questions? do you really not understand the ramifications, not only for the here and now but also for the future so I can kill one of your family memebers and wait 50 years and then doesn't matter to you and your family anymore? I take it you are a Turk? how many years do i have to wait for it not to matter to you anymore?
aww, the little child doesn't like the game and is going to take his ball and go home - crying all the way heY turkey, you seem to pass judgement on israeli transgressions BUT what about YOUR own? hypocrites!
All of the Armenians rolled over in their mass graves at the same time.
receiving end of the equation? Erdogan quick on blatantly slandering speeches accusing Israel of killing women and children. In his opinion self-defense should be non-existent for the Jewish State. I am happy to support the historic fact that armenian genocide was perpetrated by Turkey - and not in self-defense...
Why must Turkey acknowledge it? In the real world, what difference does it make and what good would it do?
The resolution must be passed.turkey has already gone over to Iran and Syria.The turkish people went against their wise leader from the 1920's and voted in a low low soul, an Islamist who has no wisdom and who cannot accept the truth about Turkey. The Ottoman's were brutal and shot thousands upon thousands of Armenians. Muslims killing Christians. I hope the US congress does the right thing and passes this resolution. The US cannot allow the Islamists to call the shots.Turkey committed genocide and must acknowledge it