Alleged Armenian genocide resolution can inflict significant damage to US efforts to reconcile Turkey-Armenia dispute

In the letters, Rice and Gates drew attention to the consequences of French Parliament's passing genocide bill that made it crime to deny Armenian genocide.

"Turkey cut off all relations with France, including military sphere and refused military contracts under discussion due to the adoption of that bill. The resolution could inflict significant damage on the US soldiers dislocated in the region and create problems for the divisions deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and inflict significant damage on US efforts to reconcile the long-standing disupute between Turkey and Armenia," they said.

The appeals went to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and representatives John Boehner, leader of the House's Republican minority, and Tom Lantos, the Democrat who chairs the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. APA