The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed Wednesday adraft that condemned the killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink,softening the wording of the draft.

The draft also urged Turks to eradicate Art. 301 of the Turkish Penal Codeand establish diplomatic, political and commercial relations with Armenia.

The Committee unanimously passed all the legal arrangements in its agendatoday, including the draft in question.

The draft was passed after the reference on so-called Armenian genocide waschanged.

The related section of the original draft used the expression, "legalprocedure was carried out against Hrant Dink within the scope of Article 301 ashe talked about Armenian genocide."

 In the softened version, it was said, "a legal procedure was initiatedagainst Dink within the scope of Article 301 as he defined the Armenianmassacre as genocide."

Turkey'sbiggest concern was the inclusion of so-called "Armenian genocide" asif it were a fact in the draft, however this was not included.

The draft, which was passed from the committee, was sent to the approval ofSenate general assembly. It is not clear whether or when the draft would be onthe Senate floor.

The draft was tabled by Senator Joseph Biden of the Foreign RelationsCommittee.

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