Bush Administration calls on Turkey not to respond with damaging countermeasures

PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. Department of State said it regrets approval of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.



"We regret that the House Foreign Affairs Committee has approved House Resolution 106 and sent it on for consideration by the full House. The Administration continues strongly to oppose this resolution, passage of which may do grave harm to U.S.-Turkish relations and to U.S. interests in Europe and the Middle East. Nor will it improve Turkish-Armenian relations or advance reconciliation among Turks and Armenians over the terrible events of 1915," said a statement issued by the U.S. Department of State.



"The United States recognizes the immense suffering of the Armenian people due to mass killings and forced deportations at the end of the Ottoman Empire. We support a full and fair accounting of the atrocities that befell as many as 1.5 million Armenians during World War I, which H.Res.106 does not do," it said.



Assistant Secretary of State Nick Burns said the department was communicating to Turkey its unhappiness with the vote and its desire to keep working closely with Ankara.



He said he hopes Turkey would not respond with damaging countermeasures.



"We hope very much that the disappointment can be limited to statements and not extend to anything concrete that would interfere with the very good way that we have been working with the Turks for so many years."