Turkey calls on US to block 'genocide' bill

With tension mounting between the US and Turkey over a vote by the House committee branding the Ottoman massacre of Armenians as "genocide," Ankara is urging Washington to block the bill.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives on Thursday passed the resolution in a 23-22 vote. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu urged Washington on Friday to block the move.

"We expect the US administration to make more efficient efforts from now on" to stop the resolution from advancing to a vote at the full House of Representatives, he said, adding that Ankara was "seriously disturbed" by the vote, AFP said.

Davutoglu warned that the resolution could damage peace talks between Turkey and Armenia.

The non-binding resolution has faced opposition from US President Barack Obama's administration.

It calls on Obama to ensure that the US policy formally refers to the World War I killings as genocide.

Turkey says the 1915 killings of Armenians do not amount to genocide. But Armenia has hailed Washington's move.

Ankara also recalled its ambassador to Washington after the vote.

"We condemn this resolution accusing Turkey of a crime that it had not committed," the Turkish Prime Ministry said in a written statement.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120107§ionid=351020204.