Turkey must impose sanctions against Armenia, Ankara says

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Turkey must impose sanctions against Armenia because it supports the Armenian Genocide resolution in the U.S. Congress," Egemen Bagis, a foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said on CNN-Turk television. Bagis said Erdogan should go ahead with a planned meeting next month with Bush in the United States.



"The Prime Minister should meet Bush and try to record progress on issues where the administration can help," Bagis said.



The border between Turkey and Armenia is closed since 1993. But Turkey could cancel flights between Istanbul and Yerevan, as well as stopover flights to Armenia, and also prevent around 4,000 trucks from hauling goods to Armenia through neighboring Georgia, the AP reports.



October 10, with a vote 27 to 21 the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the Armenian Genocide resolution. In response, Turkey threatened to close the military base of Incirlik and Habur checkpoint, through which the U.S. troops in Iraq receive equipment and provisions.