Erdoğan’s own plead post-Davos ammends

"Turkey must eliminate the Jewish community's concerns at once," said the report prepared by the deputies, obtained by the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.Â

The Ruling Justice and Development Party's, or AKP’s, Cüneyt Yüksel and Suat Kınıklıoğlu, and the Nationalist Movement Party's, or MHP, Mithat Melen, were in the United States between Jan. 29 and Feb. 6 to lobby against any genocide resolutions.

Following their talks with U.S. officials, as well as a roundtable meeting with representatives from 10 Jewish organizations, the AKP deputies drafted a report emphasizing the "Jewish lobby-Armenian alliance" and submitted it to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan.

The report included a host of other topics relating to Turkey, ranging from Turkish-Armenian relations to the Israeli offensive in Gaza and the Davos summit, as well as Turkey's bid to join the European Union, and further reaching topics such as terrorism and international security.

The deputies warned that the heated panel debate with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Davos, which ended when ErdoÄŸan walked off stage after being interrupted by the moderator, drew the Jewish lobby in the United States closer to Armenian lobby groups.

At the meeting in Washington, Jewish organizations raised concerns over rising anti-Semitism in Turkey, the damage to Turkey's mediator role in the region and the situation of Turkish Jews connected to the strong condemnation by Turkish leaders of the Israeli operation in Gaza. In defense, the Turkish lawmakers clearly expressed that anti-Semitism was a crime against humanity and that the Jewish citizens were under state protection just like each and every citizen of Turkey, read the report.

The deputies highlighted a campaign prepared to be launched by four congressmen in the U.S. House of Representative in support of the Armenian thesis and warned, "Armenians believe an opportunity to pass the draft resolution has emerged after Davos."

Lobby in Washington, report urges deputies
The report called for lobbying activities and encouraged deputies to visit Washington more frequently.

Referring to the new process in Turkish-Armenian ties, the report said a solid stage reached after efforts for normalization of ties with Yerevan would be the most important advantage for Turkey, urging the government to make public its will to improve neighborly relations.

"It must clearly be expressed that the passage of the genocide resolution will be an untimely act not only for Turkey but also in terms of positive developments in Turkish-Armenian ties," it read. The report also suggested that the government meet with American Jewish organizations to demonstrate it takes their concerns into account.

The deputies also drew attention to the beginning of a new process in Turkish-U.S. relations with new President Barack Obama taking office in Washington, stressing Obama's vision, especially toward the Middle East, overlapped with Turkish interests.

The deputies also noted they had invited Obama to a meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations set for Istanbul on April 6-7.