US PRESIDENT VOWS TO PREVENT "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE" BILL PASSING

Azeri Press Agency

US President George W. Bush repeated his opposition to a resolution
on the so-called genocide of Armenians during a phone conversation
with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan warned that passing the resolution, although officially
non-binding, would harm the strategic relations and partnership
between Turkey and the United States.

Bush promised Erdogan that he would work decisively to prevent the
bill passing.

In the phone call, "Bush reiterated his opposition to this resolution,
the passage of which would be harmful to U.S. relations with Turkey,"
said National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

Bush "believes that the determination of whether or not the events
constitute genocide should be a matter for historical inquiry, not
legislation," Johndroe added.

Erdogan also called Bill Clinton for his support to stop passage of
the bill.

According to media reports, the bill would be taken up by Congress's
Foreign Relations Committee on October 10.