Turkey: 'US move against spirit of Syria agreement'

By Rabia Iclal Turan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's vice president on Wednesday condemned a resolution and a bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide" and backing sanctions on Ankara.

“As Turkey takes a tough stance and become successful in its rightful fight against terrorism, smear campaigns targeting our country are intensifying,” Fuat Oktay said in a tweet.

“The draft sanction bill, which was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday and sent to the Senate, and the resolution recognizing the so-called Armenian genocide is against the law and the spirit of the agreement we reached on Syria,” he added.

Oktay also stressed that historical events should be uncovered by historians and researchers, not by ideologues in parliament.

“No sanctions can stop Turkey’s rightful fight against terrorism at home and abroad,” Oktay added.

Turkey earlier on Wednesday summoned the U.S. ambassador in Ankara to condemn the move.

Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as "genocide" but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.

Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Turkey and Armenia plus international experts to examine the issue.

On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

On Oct. 22, Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a meeting in Russia's Black Sea resort town of Sochi, setting a 150-hours deadline for YPG terrorists to leave the safe zone, which expired on Oct 29. Russia informed Turkish authorities that terrorists withdrew from northern Syria, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday. The two countries will also conduct joint patrols there.