November 5, 2007 (LPAC) --There was a sharp contrast between the White House "photo op" with President George W. Bush and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and what Erdogan told reporters at the National Press Club, where he was much more blunt—Turkish-U.S. relations are being tested. At the Press Club, Erdogan said there were two main issues on the agenda: the U.S. House of Representatives' resolution on the Armenian genocide of 1915, and the PKK problem in northern Iraq. He described both of these issues as important tests in the U.S.-Turkish relationship.

On the House Armenia resolution, Erdogan charged that the U.S. Congress is engaged in a political judgment of Turkey which "has the potential to deeply damage our strategic cooperation."

It is important, he said, that this resolution not be discussed on the floor of the Congress. He went on further to say that the allegations of genocide against Armenians in 1915 have not been proven, that in 2005, the Turkish government offered, in a letter, to take up the issue by establishing a Joint Historical Commission that would examine, not only Turkish archives from the period, but also any others that contain relevant documents. "If genocide can be proven, then we're ready to settle," he said, but there is no proof of genocide against Armenians. "Those who claim genocide should prove it." He concluded in this that "we aim to reach a common understanding" on that history but that there still has been no reply to the 2005 letter.

On the PKK problem, Erdogan was unambiguous, that Turkey has the right to defend itself and will exercise that right without question. He emphasized that Turkey has been engaged in diplomacy with the Iraqi government, including its Kurdish representatives for quite some time on the issue, including as recently as October 26, when a high-ranking Iraqi government delegation went to Turkey to discuss the problem. "Turkey has no patience to deal with measures that have no results. Turkey expects action from the United States and Iraq to put an end to the PKK," he said. He warned that Turkey is "on the point of using our rights," which, he said, come from international law. He noted that 507 members of the Turkish parliament voted for the motion authorizing a military incursion to attack PKK camps in northern Iraq, and only 19 voted against it. "This is a reflection of the sentiments of the Turkish people," he said.