Obama likely to refrain from naming 1915 incidents as "genocide"

Administration officials are considering postponing a presidential statement, citing progress toward a thaw in relations between Turkey and neighboring Armenia, the report said.

Further signs of warming between Turkey and Armenia -- such as talk of reopening border crossings -- would strengthen arguments that a U.S. statement could imperil the progress, the LA Times added.

"At this moment, our focus is on how, moving forward, the United States can help Armenia and Turkey work together to come to terms with the past," Michael Hammer, a spokesman for the National Security Council, was quoted as saying by the LA Times.

He said the administration was "encouraged" by improvements in relations and believed it was "important that the countries have an open and honest dialogue about the past," according to the report.

OBAMA’S TURKEY VISIT

The report is the latest signal that the Obama administration will not take any steps towards recognizing the Armenian claims despite pledges made during the presidential campaign.

Obama, his Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised to recognize the Armenian claims, forming the most pro-Armenian administration in the United States.

Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915.

Turkey rejects the claims saying that 300,000 Armenians, along with at least as many Turks, died in civil strife that erupted when Armenians took up arms, backed by Russia, for independence in eastern Anatolia.

Turkey has offered to form a joint commission to investigate what happened in 1915 and has opened all official archives, but Armenia has continued to drag its feet on accepting the offer.

Obama will pay a visit to Turkey early in April ahead of the presidential statement on April 24 to commemorate the 1915 incidents.

The date of April 24 is commemorated by Armenians as a day of remembrance for the 1915 incidents, for which U.S. presidents issue a letter of respect, which have all so far refrained from including the word "genocide".