During a meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul thanked his American counterpart for her efforts to impede the passage of an Armenian Genocide resolution in Congress. At a press conference following the meeting in Washington, Gul told the attendees that the passage of a Genocide recognition resolution by Congress would greatly hinder Turkish-American relations. "Turkey urges the US government to continue its efforts to deter the Congress from recognizing the Armenian Genocide and should take all steps to not allow such a development," Gul said, reports AsbarezOnline.