Turkish lawmaker Suat Kınıklıoğlu, who is also the chairman of US-Turkish Interparliamentary Friendship Group and a columnist with Today’s Zaman, said Thursday that American congressmen did the right thing as the House decided not to debate and pass a resolution on Armenian allegations.
"We went through tough times but common sense prevailed at the end," Kınıklıoğlu said.
Outgoing US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who strongly supports the Armenian cause, failed on Wednesday to schedule a vote on a resolution labelling the incidents of 1915 as "genocide." Obama administration opposes it.
Kınıklıoğlu said that US lawmakers did not move the legislation as the United States could not take the risk of damaging already fragile relations.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a letter to US President Barack Obama, Turkish President Abdullah Gül phoned Obama, and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu talked to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to block the passage of the resolution.
"Although there was a heavy Armenian pressure on US lawmakers, the resolution had not been put on the agenda of the House. This is because of Turkey's significance in the international arena. Americans did the right thing and we welcome their decision," Kınıklıoğlu said.
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