U.S. voices hope for quick return of Turkish envoy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday expressed hope for the quick return of Turkey's ambassador to the United States, who was recalled for consultations after a U.S. congressional committee voted to brand Ottoman Turk killings of Armenians as genocide.

"We remain opposed to House Resolution 106 because of the grave harm it could bring to the national security of the United States," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

The Bush administration has voiced concern that the resolution, approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, would damage relations with Turkey, a key ally.

The non-binding resolution, which angered Turkey by calling the 1915 massacres of Armenians genocide, now goes to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Democratic leaders say there will be a vote by mid-November.

A senior Turkish diplomat told Reuters that Ankara's recall of its ambassador was not permanent, and a U.S. State Department official called it a "fairly limited response."

"We look forward to his quick return and will continue to work to maintain strong U.S.-Turkish relations," Johndroe said.

The resolution could weaken U.S. influence over Turkey at a time when Ankara is considering a military incursion into mainly Kurdish northern Iraq to fight Kurdish rebels who have carried out cross-border attacks.

Turkey is of strategic importance to Washington, particularly in Iraq. The bulk of supplies for U.S. troops in Iraq pass through a Turkish air base.