Turkey recalled its ambassador to Washington Thursday evening after a congressional panel voted to recognize the Armenian Genocide. In a statement issued after the vote, a Turkish government spokesman said: “We condemn this resolution which accuses the Turkish nation of a crime it has not committed. Following this development, our ambassador to Washington, Namik Tan, was recalled to Ankara for consultations.”
Turkey had warned that its ties with the United States, and attempts to normalize relations with Armenia, would be damaged if the resolution were approved. Turkey and Armenia signed a protocol last year to normalize relations but it has yet to pass through the parliament of either country. Turkey has set a series of preconditions on Armenia to fulfill before it agrees to sign it.
