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Turkish FM focuses on Armenian protocols in response to ’genocide’ vote

05 March 2010 11:12 (UTC +04:00)

â€œWe donâ€™t want to go through this crisis every spring," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄŸlu said in a press conference Friday. "That is why we introduced the normalization of the relationship with Armenia. We thought that this would begin to settle things, and we really did not expect this kind of backlash."The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a resolution calling for the U.S. administrationâ€™s official recognition of the killings of Armenians in 1915 during the Ottoman Empire as genocide.â€œIt made Turkey uncomfortable that the U.S. administration did not show its strength in this regard," DavutoÄŸlu said. "Weâ€™re expecting them to increase their efforts hereafter.â€
â€œWe will not be pressured by these decisions,â€ he added
â€œIt is not for other parliaments to judge our history. Turkey is capable of dealing with these issues alone. It is a matter of national honor,â€ he said.
DavutoÄŸlu said Turkey’s aim was to improve relations with Armenia, and normalize the relationships between Turks and Armenians. He asked for support to create a stable Caucasus region and a long-term vision for peace. â€œI know Obama has a vision of peace," he said. "We also expect Obama not to perpetuate or exaggerate this crisis in April.â€Obama is expected to make a speech to the American Armenian community on April 24. On that date last year, Obama effectively avoided the confrontation by replacing the term â€œgenocideâ€ with the Armenian word for great tragedy.â€œ
The question to America is simple: â€˜â€˜Do you or do you not support the peace process between Turkey and Armenia?â€™â€ DavutoÄŸlu asked. â€œBecause if you donâ€™t then come out and say so we can align our policy accordingly.â€