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Turkey protests Argentine senators' recognition of Armenian WWI deaths as genocide
The Associated Press
05/05/05 11:27 EDT
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey on Thursday criticized a decision by
Argentina's Senate to call the mass killing of Armenians during World
War I "genocide."
Argentina's Senate last month backed a resolution condemning the
killings by Ottoman Turkish forces. The April 20 resolution came four
days before the 90th anniversary of the date Armenians mark as the
start of the killings.
Armenians say some 1.5 million of their people were killed as the
Ottoman Empire forced them from eastern Turkey between 1915 and 1923
in a deliberate campaign of genocide.
Turkey denies it was genocide, saying the death count is inflated
and insisting that Armenians were killed or displaced as the Ottoman
Empire tried to secure its border with Russia and stop attacks by
Armenian militants.
Turkey accused the Argentines of being "irresponsible," and said the
South Americans were taking a one-sided and wrong decision.
"It is obvious that the Argentine Senate's acceptance of such a
document, which lacks historical information and which is full of
mistakes, is not a responsible act," the Foreign Ministry said in
a statement.
Several countries, including Poland, Canada, France and Russia, have
declared the killings a genocide, and there is strong pressure from
Armenians worldwide for U.S. Congress to recognize the killings as
genocide as well.
Turkey has said it might establish political ties if Armenia agrees
to set up a joint commission to investigate the killings.
Armenia says it is ready to re-establish relations with Ankara,
but without any preconditions.
The issue has gained new urgency as Turkey seeks membership in the
European Union.
"Countries that sincerely want the normalization of ties between
Turkey and Armenian should support Turkey's goodwill gesture," the
Foreign Ministry statement said.
The Associated Press
05/05/05 11:27 EDT
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey on Thursday criticized a decision by
Argentina's Senate to call the mass killing of Armenians during World
War I "genocide."
Argentina's Senate last month backed a resolution condemning the
killings by Ottoman Turkish forces. The April 20 resolution came four
days before the 90th anniversary of the date Armenians mark as the
start of the killings.
Armenians say some 1.5 million of their people were killed as the
Ottoman Empire forced them from eastern Turkey between 1915 and 1923
in a deliberate campaign of genocide.
Turkey denies it was genocide, saying the death count is inflated
and insisting that Armenians were killed or displaced as the Ottoman
Empire tried to secure its border with Russia and stop attacks by
Armenian militants.
Turkey accused the Argentines of being "irresponsible," and said the
South Americans were taking a one-sided and wrong decision.
"It is obvious that the Argentine Senate's acceptance of such a
document, which lacks historical information and which is full of
mistakes, is not a responsible act," the Foreign Ministry said in
a statement.
Several countries, including Poland, Canada, France and Russia, have
declared the killings a genocide, and there is strong pressure from
Armenians worldwide for U.S. Congress to recognize the killings as
genocide as well.
Turkey has said it might establish political ties if Armenia agrees
to set up a joint commission to investigate the killings.
Armenia says it is ready to re-establish relations with Ankara,
but without any preconditions.
The issue has gained new urgency as Turkey seeks membership in the
European Union.
"Countries that sincerely want the normalization of ties between
Turkey and Armenian should support Turkey's goodwill gesture," the
Foreign Ministry statement said.