U.S. Senate Committee to vote for resolution condemning Hrant Dink's murder

PanARMENIAN.Net - In a related development, the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee is planning to vote on Wednesday another resolution condemning Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink's murder and calling on Turkey to abolish the notorious Article 301 of the penal code blamed for restricting freedom of expression and to launch diplomatic, political and trade ties with Armenia, Turkish Daily News reports. The publication reminds that legislation was originally planned for vote on March 6, but the committee's Republican Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, who generally backs Turkey in Congress, objected to the measure's language, causing a delay of three weeks. Ankara fears that a Senate approval of the original text may act as a precedent for future congressional action. "President George Bush, who has strongly condemned Dink's assassination, would like to see Turkey repeal the penal code's controversial article and set up good relations with Armenia. The committee's Web site announcement said the resolution on Wednesday would be brought to a vote with amendments but did not say what the amendments were. It was not clear whether the "Armenian Genocide" reference would stay in the text," Turkish Daily News reports.