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Samantha Power, the former US permanent representative to the United Nations, took to Twitter on Monday to comment on the senators’ move to block the Armenian Genocide resolution.

The diplomat accused Erdogan of jeopardizing US negotiations with Turkey.

“After Lindsey Graham lifts his hold on the Armenian Genocide Senate resolution, Senator Perdue blocks it, saying passage would jeopardize delicate negotiations with Turkey. This is wrong. What in fact jeopardizes US negotiations with Turkey is Erdogan,” she tweeted.

Senator Lindsey Graham blocked the resolution that would have formally recognized the Ottoman Empire's genocide against the Armenian people on 13 November, hours after he took part in a White House meeting between Trump and Erdogan.

According to Axios, as Graham was leaving the Oval Office, senior White House staff asked him to return to the Senate and block the Armenian Genocide resolution – a measure that would have infuriated Erdogan.

Graham confirmed this in a phone interview on Saturday.

Asked whether he felt uncomfortable blocking the Armenian Genocide resolution, Graham replied: "Yeah. Because I like Bob [Menendez]. He's been working on this for years, but I did think with the president of Turkey in town that was probably more than the market would bear. I'm not going to object next time.”

A few days ago, Georgia Senator David Perdue also blocked a Senate vote on the Armenian Genocide resolution, arguing that it is not the right time to take up the legislation.

The resolution passed the House of Representatives in a 405-11 vote.

Under the Senate's rules, any one senator can ask for consent to pass a bill or resolution, but any one senator can block it.   

After @LindseyGrahamSC lifts his hold on #armeniangenocide Senate resolution, @senatorPerdueGA blocks it, saying passage wld jeopardize delicate negotiations with #Turkey.

This is wrong. What in fact jeopardizes US negotiations w/ Turkey is #Erdogan. https://t.co/iwZBV2NIAJ

— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) November 25, 2019