Turkey welcomes US decision not to take up Armenian genocide resolution
Turkey's foreign minister has welcomed a decision by U.S. lawmakers not to take up a resolution declaring last century's mass killings of Armenians a genocide.
Ahmet Davutoglu said Thursday approval of the resolution would have harmed U.S.-Turkish ties and hampered Turkey's efforts to normalize ties with longtime foe Armenia.
Davutoglu said "common sense has prevailed once again."
Supporters of the resolution made a push for approval in the final days of Congress, despite opposition from the Obama administration. Instead, the House of Representatives ended its two-year term Wednesday without taking up the matter.
Historians estimate up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks. Turkey denies the deaths constituted a genocide.ISTANBUL - The Associated Press
Last Update: December 23, 2010 15:38