Turkey Warns US Over Gencide Issue - Political Forum

CHUQ · 02-08-2007, 05:57 AM

Turkey's foreign minister has warned that strategic ties with the United States would be poisoned if Congress passed a resolution recognizing the 1915 massacres of Armenians as genocide, a report said Wednesday. Abdullah Gul, who met US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington late Tuesday, told the Anatolia news agency that passage of the resolution would "spoil everything" between the long-standing allies.

"The resolution submitted to Congress is a great threat which could poison all our relations," he was quoted in Turkish as telling reporters in Washington.

Gul warned that the US government should not get involved in the sensitive dispute.

"I believe Turkish-American relations should not be taken hostage by this issue," he said.

The Daily Star - Politics - Gul warns US Congress to not pass genocide bill

I read this and thought it would be a good piece to get opinions from our Turkish members.

Public_Enemy · 02-09-2007, 08:02 AM

Well, if it would ever happen, it would be the end of USA-Turkey relations.. maybe goverment could try to take it calm for a while but It would boost extreme anti-americanism in public and ppl could change the goverment accordingly, this wave could also leads Turkey apart from all west...

CHUQ · 02-10-2007, 04:54 AM

There seems to be a group of Armenian-Americas pushing this deal and I agree it would be a disaster if passed.

CHUQ · 02-10-2007, 04:56 AM

Turkey's strained relationship with the Bush administration is likely to worsen after its foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, failed to make significant progress on Ankara's main objectives in Washington this week.

Disagreements, centred on Iraq and a resolution proposed in the US Congress that would officially recognise the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians as genocide, threaten to intensify anti-American sentiment in Turkey, while raising concerns in the US about a possible Turkish military intervention in northern Iraq.

Analysts suggest the disputes could undermine US efforts to enlist Turkey's support in isolating Iran, an issue that Dick Cheney, US vice-president, is believed to have raised.

FT.com / World / US & Canada - US-Turkey relations set to worsen over Iraq and Armenian 'genocide'

Could this proposal be used to get Turkey's assistance against Iran?

Public_Enemy · 02-10-2007, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Could this proposal be used to get Turkey's assistance against Iran?

Well , it could be possible, but it could be only a part of a deal because isolation of Iran would have economic results as well as politics for Turkey, it would cost Turkey high, We already lose from biliteral trade with Iraq more than $ 500 bln from 1992 till now plus additional security expenses. This loses lead Turkish economy to a big crise in 2001, many ppl lost their jobs, money, homes etc...
So I think, only politic bergains wouldn't be enough to convince Turkey at this point.

On the other hand, more important point is; USA makes plans which fits only USA interests and press (or sometimes offer bribery in return) other states to accept it even if this plans would bring vital results for them. It was like this in Iraq issue.. But attitude was not one sided, also Erdogan pave this way, he talked about such bribery instead of strategic subjects before Iraq war... Anyway I think a diffrent attitude which alligns interests for all parties involved as much as possible would have much more higher chance for success if we talk about an alliance or partnership...

Iran traditionally our regional rival and both parties are trying to impose their regime to each other, so with a regime change, a modern Iran would be beneficial for Turkey but we have a very bad example like Iraq. Iran's %42 population is Turkic ( Azeri, Turkmen etc..) and current situation of Turkmens in Iraq is not encouraged example for Turkey. Furthermore Saddam and Baas regime were destroyed but USA failed to put a replacement and Iraq become a hell and if same happens to Iran which have 75 million population, bigger territories, higher influence on region, deeper culture etc.. in a line from Afghanistan to Lebanon, there would be a huge chaos area which would destroy all neighboring countries economic, politic and territorial stability...

Anyway, I don't believe that USA and Turkey would have harmony in politics as Bush and Erdogan administrations continue.. Erdogan is not trustworthy, (he has a villager attitude like he thinks himself is the only clever man) and many in Turkey don't have sympathy for Bush administration...

Sebelius for VP, not Hillary · 02-11-2007, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Public_Enemy

Well, if it would ever happen, it would be the end of USA-Turkey relations.. maybe goverment could try to take it calm for a while but It would boost extreme anti-americanism in public and ppl could change the goverment accordingly, this wave could also leads Turkey apart from all west...

I have a question. Has the EU called the event genocide yet?

CHUQ · 02-11-2007, 05:38 AM

Public--how long will he be the leader of Turkey? Is there anyone in the wings that could be more popular?

Public_Enemy · 02-11-2007, 10:25 AM

@WEB,
EU is not called it genocide officially but some EU member states did, for ex. France....

@CHUQ
Election is in November of this year.. His party seems %25-28 and first party in the polls, but it wouldn't be enough for taking the office ... meanwhile other parties declared that they won't go to a coalition with him, so second and third party (nationalist (%20s) and social democrat (%20s)) would establish a coalition government... My only objection, these two parties are both state minded in economy while erdogan's party has liberal economic policies ... BTW, nationalist party defends very strict policies in PKK, EU, Cyprus, Northern Iraq, Azeri-Armenian issues... Both nationalist party and social democrat party are more popular as politic view than their leaders, their leadership seen weak ..IF they could have better leaders they would boost their votes ..

CHUQ · 02-12-2007, 05:58 AM

If he cannot get a coalition together, then what are the chances that the other two will try just to gain power?

CHUQ · 02-19-2007, 06:03 AM

More lip service over the ngenocide bill.

ANKARA - Turkey’s prime minister said the US Congress would harm bilateral ties if it backs a resolution recognising the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as a genocide, the state Anatolian news agency said on Sunday.

The Democratic-controlled Congress is widely expected to back such a resolution in April, but the Bush administration is opposed to it, fearing the impact on relations its NATO ally.

Ankara strongly denies claims by Armenia and others that its forces committed a systematic genocide against Armenians during World War One. But many parliaments around the world have backed similar resolutions recognising the killings as genocide.

Khaleej Times Online - Turkish PM warns US on Armenian genocide bill