Turkey warns of breakdown in ties with US after measure calls killing of Armenians genocide
By Suzan Fraser, APFriday, March 5, 2010
Turkey warns of breakdown in ties with US
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s foreign minister is warning of a breakdown in ties with the U.S. after a congressional committee approved a resolution branding the World War I-era killing of Armenians genocide.
Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday the Obama administration had not sufficiently put its weight behind efforts to block the vote. He called on the administration to prevent the measure from coming to the full House.
Turkey angrily withdrew its ambassador to the U.S. minutes after Thursday’s vote.
Davutoglu said the issue was a matter of “honor” and said the country would assess what other measures to take.
Historians estimate up to 1.5 million Armenians were victims of genocide. Turkey denies the deaths constituted genocide.
Associated Press writer Desmond Butler contributed to this report from Washington.
