ANKARA - Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz expressed Turkey's regret over submission of a resolution aiming at the United States' indirect recognition of so-called Armenian genocide, to the U.S. House of Representatives General Assembly.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Dirioz recalled that the U.S. House of Representatives Justice Affairs Commission had approved the draft resolution with a fait accompli despite all efforts and warnings of Turkey.
Dirioz expressed Turkey's regret over submission of the resolution to the U.S. House of Representatives General Assembly.
Pointing out that legal process about the resolution aiming at United States' indirect recognition of so-called Armenian genocide, had not came to an end yet, Dirioz told reporters, ''we preserve our expectation that the resolution will not be taken onto agenda of the U.S. House of Representatives General Assembly or even if it is taken onto agenda, it will not be approved. We expect the U.S. Congress and the U.S. administration to expend necessary efforts for rejection of the resolution.''
''There have been historical relations between Turkey and the United States. These relations are of strategic importance. Both sides are determined to further improve these relations,'' he told reporters.
Giving information about his contacts with Lynn Pascoe, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Dirioz said that future of bilateral relations were taken up at the meetings.
(UK-AÖ) 23.05.2003