ANKARA (Combined Sources)–Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has again warned that the introduction of a resolution by U.S. lawmakers recognizing the Armenian Genocide could harm efforts to improve ties with Armenia, reported the Turkish Hurriyet Daily.
Babacan’s latest warning came as US lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a new resolution to recognize the Genocide into the House of Representatives. H.Res. 252, introduced by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.), George Radanovich (R.-Calif.), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), currently has bipartisan support from 77 original co-sponsors in the House.
The resolution, Babacan asserted could undermine efforts by President Barack Obama’s administration to win help from Turkey on key foreign policy goals in the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan. President Obama is due to visit Turkey early April.
He said Turkey and Armenia are already discussing what he called “the 1915 killings” and "steps that could be taken by third countries on the issue would not bring any good but harm this process."
"We hope parliamentarians, parliamen’s become aware of this process and act responsibly," he was quoted by AP as saying at a joint press conference with his Philippine counterpart Alberto Romulo.