Tensions Rise in Turkey on Two Fronts

ISTANBUL, Oct. 11 -- The Turkish government warned Thursday that a congressional committee vote labeling the mass killings of Armenians during the Ottoman Empire as genocide would "endanger relations" with the United States, and it summoned its ambassador from Washington for emergency consultations.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee vote on the Armenian deaths -- one of the most sensitive issues in Turkish politics and society -- came as Turkish officials said they were preparing to seek parliamentary authority to launch a military assault across the border in Kurdish northern Iraq in retribution for Kurdish rebel attacks that have killed 29 Turkish soldiers, police and civilians in the past two weeks.

U.S. officials said Thursday that rising tensions over both issues could have far-reaching ramifications for American operations in Iraq: A Turkish military attack in northern Iraq could create chaos in the country's only relatively stable region, and a Turkish threat to limit U.S. access to its air bases and roads because of the congressional vote could cripple supply lines to American forces in Iraq.

"The committee's approval of this resolution was an irresponsible move, which, at a greatly sensitive time, will make relations with a friend and ally more difficult," the Turkish government said in a statement.

President Abdullah Gul called Wednesday's congressional vote "unacceptable," adding, "Some politicians in the United States have once again sacrificed important matters to petty domestic politics despite all calls to common sense."

Turkish Ambassador Nabi Sensoy said he plans to leave Washington on Friday or over the weekend. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara described the diplomatic recall as temporary.

"This is a serious thing," Sensoy said in an interview. "This is the first time that an ambassador has been recalled in many years. We have a sound, time-tested relationship, but these are unfortunate events that put into danger the future of Turkish-U.S. relations."

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government will probably present a resolution to parliament next week seeking permission to conduct a cross-border assault into Iraq targeting separatist guerrillas from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the aftermath of the recent attacks.

Turkey accuses Iraqi Kurds of providing refuge for separatist rebels who have been waging a war for autonomy against Turkey since 1984.

Turkey's top civilian and military authorities ordered the armed forces to their highest state of alert Tuesday. The next day, Turkish F-16 and F-14 fighter jets and Cobra helicopter gunships bombed suspected PKK hideouts and escape routes in the mountainous border regions, according to the Turkish Dogan news agency.

Iraqi civilians said Turkish artillery shells had landed inside Iraqi territory, according to news reports from the border area.

Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul told reporters, "There is no need for parliamentary authorization for a hot-pursuit operation" to chase suspected PKK guerrillas. However, Iraq has denied Turkey permission to conduct such raids.