Mainstream Turkish daily Sabah reported that Israel was also making diplomatic moves to prevent the adoption by Congress of the Armenian genocide resolution.  It is reported that shortly before the arrival of the Turkish FM Ali Babacan in Israel, Defense Minister Ehud Barak called Congressman Tom Lantos who is the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee where a vote is expected to take place tomorrow on the resolution (HR106). Babacan was told that many Jewish Congressmen and Senators were also working to convince other members, not to vote for the resolution that would harm not only the relations between the U.S. and Turkey, but those between Israel and Turkey too.

Babacan who met with Israeli President Shimon Peres, PM Ehud Olmert, FM Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and opposition leader Benjamin Natanyahu and told them that Turkey would like to see continued support of the Jewish lobby in the U.S.. The Israeli government officials told Babacan that they are very aware of the importance of Turkey’s role in the Middle East and that any policy that would harm Turkey’s role in the region would harm Israel too. Babacan said that during his visit he observed how strong the relations between Turkey and Israel were.

Source: Sabah, Turkey, October 9, 2007