October 12, 2007--In response to the vote in the House Foreign Relations Committee on the Armenian genocide, the Turkish government recalled its ambassador for talks, for "a week or ten days," according to the Foreign Ministry. At the same time, the Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson. And, reported BBC, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Parliament would meet next week to discuss the government's request for approval to send troops into northern Iraq, in pursuit of PKK terrorists. The Turkish Daily News noted that there were a number of demonstrations in Turkey, at the U.S. embassy and consulate buildings.

Concerns are growing in the U.S. and Israel, that Turkey may take measures detrimental to the American military operations in the region, including closing Incirlik base to the U.S. Defense Secretary Gates was quoted by AFP, saying that 70% of air cargo, 30% of fuel shipments, and 95% of mine-resistant armored vehicles destined for Iraq, go through Turkey. After talks with British Defense Minister Des Browne, Gates said, "The Turks have been quite clear about some of the measures they would have to take if this resolution passes," and recalled that France had been punished after its parliament passed a similar resolution on the genocide. Those measures included denying overflight rights to the French Air Force.

As for the threatened cross-border incursions, Patrick Cockburn wrote in Britain's Independent today, that such incursions could threaten the only area of Iraq which is relatively stable. According to the Turkish Zaman today, the meeting between Erdogan and the Supreme Board of Counterterrorism, which decided on the incursions, discussed a new intelligence report, "PKK 2008," which says that the group has its weapons in Iraq, and has been moving them closer to the Turkish border. It is Iraq which is the sole safe haven for the PKK at present, it says. The report says the PKK, hoping to beef up recruitment, plans spectacular terror attacks inside Turkey in 2008.

Israel is also reportedly concerned about the new strains in the U.S.-Turkish relations. According to the Jerusalem Post today, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that relations with Israel could also suffer. Abacan had met with Israeli President Shimon Peres Oct. 7 (and invited him to visit Turkey on President Gul's behalf). Babacan had mentioned on his visit that the perception in Turkey was that "the Jewish organizations ... and the Armenian diaspora, the Armenian lobbies, are now hand-in-hand trying to defame Turkey, and trying to condemn Turkey and the Turkish people.... So if something goes wrong in Washington, D.C., it will inevitably have some influence on relations between Turkey and the U.S., plus the relations between Turkey and Israel, as well." Other Israelis cited the recent moves by the Anti-Defamation League in the U.S., to acknowledge the genocide.