Turkey sees looming Armenian resolution in U.S. as a risk factor

"Such a development would effect Turkey-U.S. relations. It may harm the ongoing process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. It hits Turkey-Armenia relations as well," Babacan told Aksam daily late on Sunday en route to Egypt, where he attended an international donors' conference on Gaza.      Â

Armenian lobby organizations have increased theirs efforts to have their claims regarding the 1915 incidents recognized in the U.S. Congress. During the election campaign, President Barack Obama had pledged to recognize the Armenian claims.  Â

"I am not mentioning a threatening rhetoric. I do not like this at all. We are talking to them (Americans) honestly," Babacan was quoted as saying by Aksam on Tuesday.

He said Turkey and Armenia, which target full normalization, have never been this close to resolving the problems between them since 1915, adding that the countries should not miss this chance.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations and their border has been closed for more than a decade, as Armenia presses the international community with the backing of the diaspora to admit the so-called "genocide" claims instead of accepting Turkey's call to investigate the allegations, and over Armenia's invasion of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan.

A warmer period began in relations when Turkish President Abdullah Gul paid a landmark visit to Yerevan in September to watch a World Cup qualifying football match between the two countries. Both have been holding contacts at the ministerial level since.

Babacan said a Turkish delegation has been holding talks with the U.S. officials in Washington and will continue their meetings in the coming weeks, adding the issue would also be discussed when U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Turkey on March 7.Â