WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Congressional support flagged Wednesday for a resolution calling the World War I massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks "genocide" amid concern over Turkey's threat to cut off support for the Iraq war.
In apparent retreat from their initial stance, a group of Democrats in the House of Representatives, including the influential John Murtha, said they would "very vigorously" oppose the measure cleared last week by a committee.
"If voted today it would not pass on the floor," Murtha said.
Anger is brewing in Turkey over the US "genocide" resolution, which Ankara deems unacceptable. Turkey recalled its ambassador to Washington and has threatened to cut off logistical support of US-led war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In a bid to calm tensions, President George W. Bush has urged Turkey not to carry out cross-border strikes on Kurdish rebels in Iraq -- advice shrugged off by lawmakers in Ankara who greenlighted such attacks -- and called on Democrats to abandon the "genocide" measure.
"What happened nearly 100 years ago was terrible; the point is we have to deal with today's world," Murtha told a news conference.
"Turkey is a strong ally of the US and I believe that this resolution could harm our relations with (them), and therefore our strategic interests in the region," added the Pennsylvania representative.
The lawmakers' about-face was welcomed by the State Department.
"I am pleased to note that over the last 24 hours ... there have been a number of members of Congress who have now come out and publicly stated that they have changed their view and would no longer be supporting this resolution," spokesman Tom Casey said Wednesday.
Earlier, Bush once more came out against the resolution.
"Congress has more important work to do than antagonizing a democratic ally in the Muslim world, especially one that's providing vital support for our military every day," Bush told reporters, calling the proposed measure "counterproductive."
The bill brands as a genocide the 1915 massacre of more than 1.5 million Armenians under Turkey's Ottoman Empire. Turkey believes fewer Armenians were killed -- 250,000-500,000 -- and strongly rejects the notion that it was genocide.
Democrat Alcee Hastings, who heads the House committee on Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said Turkey was a "key strategic ally" and a "moderate Muslim country."
A vote on the controversial measure comes at a "critical time for our men and women in uniform in the region, and for the stability of the Middle East."
Officials from both Turkey and the White House over the past few days have lobbied members of Congress to oppose a vote on the resolution, which is expected next month.
The New York Times said Wednesday that former Republican lawmaker Robert Livingston, 64, has become Turkey's chief lobbyist in the US Congress -- for a fee of more than 12 million dollars.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to respond to her colleagues' pressure, but last week made it quite clear she intends to bring the genocide resolution to a vote, brushing aside urgings to the contrary from Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
The resolution, should it prosper, is non-binding and would impose no obligation on the White House.
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