Turkey urges US to block 'genocide' bill

ANKARA — Turkey reacted angrily on Friday to a US Congress panel's resolution calling the Ottoman-era massacre of Armenians "genocide" warning of damage to US ties and efforts to reconcile with Armenia.Turkey has already recalled its ambassador and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called on President Barack Obama's administration to block the resolution. He said it should have done more to stop it being passed by the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.The US administration "did not put enough weight" behind efforts to prevent the resolution and Ankara was "seriously disturbed", the minister said."We expect the US administration to make more efficient efforts from now on" to stop the resolution from advancing to a full House vote, he said."We hope Turkish-US ties will not be put to a new test ... otherwise, the prospect that we will face will not be a positive one," he said.Turkey recalled its ambassador from Washington immediately after the committee passed the non-binding resolution on Thursday by a slim 23-22 margin, ignoring the pressure from Turkey and the White House.Davutoglu declined to elaborate what action Turkey, a long-time NATO ally, would consider if the text was put to a vote at the full House.Turkey is a prominent Muslim partner of Washington in efforts to stabilise Afghanistan and Iraq. It is also a key part of the route taking oil and natural gas to Western markets.The US resolution raised the "the risk of stopping" fledgling bridge-building efforts with Armenia, Davutoglu said, stressing that Turkey was rejecting pressure to ratify a troubled peace deal with its eastern neighbour."We are determined to normalise Turkish-Armenian ties but we are against this being secured through the intervention of third parties and through pressure," he said.President Abdullah Gul warned Thursday that "Turkey will not be responsible for the negative ramifications this vote may have in every field."The non-binding resolution calls on Obama to ensure that US foreign policy reflects an under

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