Turkey and U.S. damage bilateral relations by mutual claims. Such actions should be stopped, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said at an American-Turkish conference. Although Mr Gates avoided examples, he did drop hints on the Armenian Genocide resolution introduced in the Congress, reports RFE/RL.

"Our states should resist challenges like symbolic congressional resolutions and anti-American statements made during political debates in Turkey," Gates said. The Secretary of Defense also voiced concern about the situation at the Turkey-Northern Iran border.