Turkey urges US to block 'genocide' Bill

A furious Turkey warned of damage to its ties with the US as protesters descended on the American embassy yesterday after a Congressional panel labelled the Ottoman-era massacre of Armenians as genocide.

Having recalled its ambassador immediately after the panel's resolution was adopted, Ankara warned Washington risked a showdown with a key Muslim ally if the motion advanced to a full vote at the House of Representatives.

When asked to comment on Turkey's withdrawal of its ambassador, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: "We will work very hard to make sure the Bill does not go to the House floor."

Turkey is "seriously disturbed" that President Barack Obama's Administration "did not put enough weight" behind efforts to prevent the resolution from being passed by the Foreign Affairs Committee, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

"We expect the US Administration to make more efficient efforts from now on," he said.

"We hope Turkish-US ties will not be put to a new test ... otherwise, the prospect that we will face will not be a positive one," he added, calling the issue a "matter of national honour".

Nato member Turkey is a prominent Muslim partner in US efforts to stabilise Afghanistan and Iraq, and lies on a key route taking oil and natural gas to Western markets.

The committee passed the non-binding resolution on Thursday by a 23-22 margin, ignoring pressure from Turkey and the White House. President Abdullah Gul has warned that "Turkey will not be responsible for the negative ramifications" of the vote.

As Turkish anger swelled, a crowd of around 100 demonstrated outside the US embassy in Ankara, laying a black wreath that read "We did not commit genocide, we defended the motherland."

Protesters chanted anti-US slogans at a similar demonstration in Istanbul.

Mr Davutoglu said the resolution also raised the "the risk of stopping" bridge-building efforts with Armenia and stressed that Turkey would not bow to pressure to ratify a troubled peace deal with its eastern neighbour.

The non-binding resolution calls on Mr Obama to ensure that US foreign policy reflects an understanding of the "genocide" and to label the mass killings as such in his annual statement on the issue.