President Tayyip Erdogan may call off a visit to Washington next week in protest at votes in the House of Representatives to recognize the Armenian genocide and to seek sanctions on Turkey, three Turkish officials said, Reuters reports.
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Erdogan is due in Washington on Nov. 13 at President Donald Trump’s invitation, but said last week that the votes put a “question mark” over the plans. “These steps seriously overshadow ties between the two countries. Due to these decisions, Erdogan’s visit has been put on hold,” a senior Turkish official said, adding that a final decision had not been taken.
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The US House of Representatives voted last week to adopt a resolution (H. Res. 296) affirming the United States record on the Armenian Genocide.
The resolution ensures that the United States commemorates the Armenian Genocide through official recognition and remembrance and rejects efforts to enlist, engage, or otherwise associate the United States Government with denial of the Armenian Genocide or any other genocide.
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It also encourages education and public understanding of the facts of the Armenian Genocide, including the United States role in the humanitarian relief effort, and the relevance of the Armenian Genocide to modern-day crimes against humanity.
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H/T Public Radio of Armenia