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ANKARA: Halacoglu: Armenian issue a 'matter of honor' for Turkey

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  • ANKARA: Halacoglu: Armenian issue a 'matter of honor' for Turkey

    Journal of Turkis weekly
    April 13 2005

    Halacoglu: Armenian issue a 'matter of honor' for Turkey
    The New Anatolian / Ankara

    'This is an issue that concerns whether or not to take responsibility
    for a shameful act of inhumanity. I won't accuse my grandfather of
    being a villain for a crime he didn't commit,' says Halacoglu

    While the April 24 date for the commemoration of the so-called
    genocide anniversary approaches, Turkey is preparing a counterattack
    against rising Armenians efforts for the recognition of their claims.


    In support of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's worldwide "letter
    campaign," demanding apologies from countries that used the "Blue
    Book" as a reference in recognizing the Armenians' claims, the
    Turkish Historical Society (TTK) declared that it would publish three
    books dealing with the issue from the Turkish perspective.

    TTK Chairman Yusuf Halacoglu released a declaration yesterday saying
    that the TTK's Armenian Research Desk, after making detailed
    scientific investigations, would publish three books. He listed the
    books as, "Deaths Caused by Epidemic Diseases, 1914-18," "The
    Tricolor Over the Taurus, 1918-1922," and "The Armenian Events in
    French Diplomatic Documents, Vol. 1.'

    Halacoglu also gave a lecture at Cankaya University on the so-called
    Armenian genocide and Turkey's archival documents.

    Stating that history should depend on documents and verifiable
    sources, Halacoglu said, "Frivolous comments are nothing but
    fantasies." He also described the Armenians' claims as a very
    sensitive issue for Turkey.

    "Turkey has Armenian citizens at home and abroad," He said. "I
    cleanse them of guilt. It is just a few associations that have
    brought the issue to its present state."

    Halacoglu noted that not only the Ottoman Empire but other countries
    had gone through such tragedies during the world wars.

    Halacoglu stated that 5.5 million people migrated from the Balkans
    and Caucasian regions to Anatolia during World War II. He also added
    that 2.5 million people died due to diseases and raids during these
    migrations.

    "This was a war," said Halacoglu, "You should expect anything to
    happen in a war that is seen to benefit either warring side. If these
    were countries fighting, it would be acceptable, but things get
    distorted when the actions are done by civilians against other
    citizens. The Ottomans were unable to take precautions against such
    actions."

    Halacoglu rejected the claim that "1.5 million Armenians were
    killed."

    "This claim entails that all Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire
    were killed and then some,' he said. "According to the population
    census in 1914, there were some 1.3 millions Armenians living in
    Ottoman lands. American historian Justin McCarthy sets the number at
    somewhere near 1.69 million. It's claimed that 1 million Armenians
    emigrated. If 1 million Armenians emigrated then nobody is supposed
    to have gone to Caucasia. However, there are documents proving that
    450,000 Armenians migrated to Caucasia voluntarily.'

    'A matter of honor'

    Professor Halacoglu also described the genocide claims as "a matter
    of honor."

    "This is an issue that concerns whether or not to take responsibility
    for a shameful act of inhumanity," he said. "I won't accuse my
    grandfather of being a villain for a crime he didn't commit."

    Halacoglu will hold a press conference to discuss the new studies on
    Friday.


    The New Anatolian
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