WASHINGTON (AFP)— The United States on Monday voiced hope that Turkey would return its ambassador, distancing itself from moves in the US Congress to recognize the World War I Genocide of Armenians.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu pressed his US counterpart Hillary Clinton in a telephone call Sunday to stop the resolution from advancing to a full vote at the House of Representatives, a ministry spokesman said in Ankara.
Turkey withdrew its ambassador in early March after a House committee narrowly approved the resolution calling the mass killings genocide.
“We understand the reasons why Turkey recalled its ambassador,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters. “We hope that the ambassador will be returned as quickly as Turkey feels comfortable.”
After the vote by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Clinton said that “we do not believe the full Congress will or should act on that resolution.”
“The Turkish side has made its concerns about the House committee vote known. We’ve also made clear our position on that resolution,” Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg told reporters.
“So we hope that this is the basis to move forward because we have a lot of business to do together,” Steinberg said, pointing to cooperation in the Balkans and other areas.
The last sentence in the State Department comments says it all….. ” we have a lot of business to do together”.
I am saddened that our foreign policy continues to support expedient interests(many of which are short term in nature). As Americans,it is embarassing to see Turkey attempting to bully our government into supporting denial.
It is no wonder that many Americans have a cynical view of foreign policy motives. Of what value are super powers if they cannot use their influence to prevent or stop what's going on in Darfur?
It is considered naive for America to support the truth of a tragegy that happened 95 years ago; when that affirmation may ” upset” the denier. The truth has no shelf life.