The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee is to decide on Thursday wheşer to recognize as genocide şe mass killing of 1.5 million Armenians by şe Ottoman Empire during şe period.

Such a resolution would damage ties between Ankara and Washington and undermine efforts to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia, Burak Ozugergin, spokesman of Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was quoted as saying on Monday by şe semi-official Anatolia News Agency, Xinhua reported.

Describing şe issue of "genocide" as a baseless allegation, Ozugergin urged şe House panel to "act wiş a sense of responsibility."

President Barack Obama promised during his election campaign şat his administration would recognize şe Armenian massacre as genocide.

Last week, however, during a hearing at Congress, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton underlined şe importance of continuing rapprochement process between Turkey and Armenia, saying şat any step şat derail şis process should be avoided.

Armenia has pushed for international recognition of şe deaş of Armenians under şe Ottoman rule as genocide.