President George W. Bush urged American congressional leaders to defeat a resolution that would declare the killing of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a “genocide”.

Calling the deaths which occurred in 1915 tragic, Bush nevertheless said that the word “genocide” could hamper American relations with Turkey.

The US walks a delicate line with Turkey, which is a crucial military ally in the occupation of Iraq.

Invasion

Turkey is currently preparing for an invasion of northern Iraq in order to attack Kurdish militants.

The militants, known as the PKK, have been at war with Turkey since 1984. In the last several months many have relocated from Turkey to the valley of Qendil in northern Iraq, surrounded by almost impassable mountains. They have little to do with Iraqi Kurds.

No Control

The United States has repeatedly urged Turkey not to cross the border to fight the PKK, and instead work with the Iraqi government. But the current Iraqi government has almost no control in the north, which has been controlled and administered by Kurds since 1991.

The US relies heavily on these Iraqi Kurds, who have proven to be America’s most effective and disciplined military allies in Iraq.

Many of these Kurds have grown sympathetic to the PKK as recent weeks have seen dozens of casualties in battles between Turkey and the PKK.

‘What They Will Lose’

But the US also relies heavily on Turkey as a route to Iraq. If relations deteriorate, Turkey could close its bases to US forces or deny overflight permission.

The deputy chairman of Turkey’s ruling party, Egemen Bagis, was in Washington today to lobby against the congressional resolution.

“Somebody has to tell them,” Bagis said, “what they will lose in the Middle East and Central Asia, if they lose Turkey.”

• New York Times: Bush Argues Against Armenian Genocide Measure
• The New Anatolian: Gul tells Bush “don’t do it” while Bagis lambasts pro-Armenian bill
• Moderate Risk: Patrick Lasswell interviewed by Vladimir van Wilgenburg (May 6, 2007)