Turkish foreign minister says Turkey won't give in to pressures over relations with Armenia

Turkish foreign minister on Monday said his country would not bow down to any pressure over the course of relations with Armenia after a U.S. House panel had adopted a resolution over the tragic events of 1915 -- shortly before the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

"We will maintain our peaceful perspective but we will not let anyone put pressure on Turkey over issues on which we can give no concessions. We hope our counterparts on this issue had received the message," Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters at a joint press conference with his Mauritanian counterpart Naha Mint Mouknass in capital Ankara.

U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee last Thursday adopted the resolution with 23 votes against 22, raising concerns that the approval might hurt rapprochement between Ankara and Yerevan, which have recently signed protocols to open their border and resume diplomatic relations.

Turkey has recalled its ambassador in Washington, Namik Tan, to Ankara for consultations shortly after the House panel vote.

Davutoglu said he had met with Tan today, adding that their consultations would continue for some time.

Davutoglu told reporters that Turkey and Mauritania are set to open embassies in each other's countries.

The Turkish foreign minister said the two countries had a deep rooted history of cooperation, adding that Turkey considered Mauritania as "a country of special importance."

Davutoglu said Turkey is set to introduce a special training programme for young Mauritanian diplomats, adding that the two countries had also agreed to cooperate in mining sector.

Davutoglu said the two countries also had been cooperating on military issues in a bid to boost Mauritania's stability.


/World Bulletin/