Bill on Armenian Genocide: Turkey relies on European lobby of USA

PanARMENIAN.Net - During Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül's visit to Washington meetings Vice President Dick Cheney, State Secretary Condoleezza Rice, President's National Security Advisor Steven Hedley and some other leading congressmen are scheduled. Gül is going to "explain the damage to U.S., which can be caused to Turkish-American relations" in case of adopting the bill on the Armenian Genocide.



The European lobby, that Ankara most of all relies on, is going to begin activities aimed against adoption of this document. European organizations fear that in case of adopting the bill the allied relations between the two countries will receive a blow, and they will be deprived of the military base in Incirlik, which is situated near the Iranian border. The U.S. has used the base during military operations in Iraq. The fact that currently the speaker of the House of Representatives is Nancy Pelosi, who has close relations with the Armenian lobby, increases the possibility of actualization and adoption of the bill. In this regard three European organizations of Washington are trying to prevent the inclusion of this document in the agenda of the House of Representatives.



Representatives of ruling 'Justice and Development' and main opposition National Democratic parties of Turkey will depart for Washington February 7. They will meet with congressmen, as well as Armenian Diaspora representatives. And Turkish Army's chief of General Staff Yasar Buyukanit's visit to Washington is scheduled for February 11, APA reports.