H.Res.106 passage will make Jewish population target of criticism in Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - The passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution in the U.S. Congress will irreparably damage the image of the United States and make the Jewish population a target of criticism in Turkey, Foreign Minister and Chief EU Negotiator Ali Babacan has said.



"If it is passed, relations with the United States will undoubtedly be affected very negatively," Babacan said while en route to Turkey from a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) on Thursday evening. "It will further damage the U.S. image in Turkey. We, as the government, can't prevent it no matter what we do."



"Armenian and Jewish lobbies unite forces against Turks," he said. "We have told them that we cannot explain it to the public in Turkey if a road accident happens. We have told them that we cannot keep the Jewish people out of this."



Babacan said there was a "problem of empathy" that prevents Western countries from understanding why the issue is a sensitive matter for Turkey. "They do not understand that this is execution without trial. They do not understand that 1915 is not a very old date and that they accuse the grandfathers of dozens of people in Turkey," he said, Zaman reports.