Tweet
Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.armenianassembly.org
May 25, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
RE: Turkish Government Labels Armenian Genocide Conference Planners &
Turkish Participants Traitors -
Forces Conference Cancellation
Organizers of an unprecedented Armenian Genocide conference have been
forced to indefinitely postpone the event set to open in Istanbul today.
The conference, entitled "Ottoman Armenians during the Decline of the
Empire: Issues of Scientific Responsibility and Democracy," was due to
be held at Bosphorus University.
According to Agence France-Presse, Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek
yesterday accused Conference organizers of committing treason, saying,
"We must put an end to this cycle of treason and insult, of spreading
propaganda against the [Turkish] nation by people who belong to it." In
addition, other Turkish officials have demanded copies of all conference
papers.
While Turkey describes itself as a mature democracy with European -Union
aspirations, the country's latest assault on free speech provoked stern
condemnation.
A European Union diplomat today told Reuters that Cicek's remarks are
"unbelievable."
"It not only kills the government's policy on the Armenian issue. It
will also kill support for Turkey's EU drive," the diplomat told
Reuters.
Former Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. Sukru Elekdag, a senior Member of
Parliament for the main opposition Republican People's Party, called the
Conference "a treacherous project" aimed at disseminating pro-Armenian
propaganda "under the guise of research."
Conference planners said in a press statement that "it is high time
Turkey's own academics and intellectuals collectively raise voices that
differ from the official stance" on the Armenian killings. "The
expression of critical and alternative opinions will be to Turkey's
benefit, because it will show how rich in pluralist thinking Turkish
society actually is," the statement said.
Just last October, the Turkish Parliament adopted a package of legal
reforms proposed by the European Community and others. Article 305 of
the Turkish Penal Code criminalizing speech on select subjects,
including the Armenian Genocide, was part of that package. This sets
the stage for possible legal action against Conference planners and
participants. The Turkish government has refused to support rescinding
this prohibition against free speech despite international criticism.
The Armenian Assembly will continue to monitor this official assault on
academic freedom and will report any developments as they happen. On
the eve of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's official visit to the U.S.,
we urge ongoing coverage and commentary.
For additional background information, please see the Reuters article
below.
Turkey postpones conference on Armenian killings
Wed May 25, 2005 3:17 PM BST
By Ayla Jean Yackley
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish university facing accusations of treason
has postponed a conference that offered a platform to academics
questioning a national policy that denies any World War One genocide of
Armenians.
The conference, due to start on Wednesday at Istanbul's Bosphorus
University, was organised as Muslim Turkey faces mounting pressure from
the European Union to accept that mass killings of Christian Armenians
starting in 1915 was genocide.
Turkey's pro-European government has broken with past administrations
and said it is willing to discuss historical differences with Armenians,
but official policy still vehemently rejects claims that 1.5 million
Armenians were slaughtered.
It accepts that hundreds of thousands of Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks but says even more Turks died in a partisan conflict that
erupted as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said in parliament on Tuesday the
conference by Turkish historians who say genocide occurred was a "stab
in the back of the Turkish people.
"We must end this treason, the spreading of propaganda against Turkey by
the people who belong to it," he said.
Bosphorus University said it had decided to put off the conference
because of the prevailing climate.
"We are anxious that, as a state university, scientific freedom will be
compromised due to prejudices about a conference that has not yet
occurred," it said in a statement.
Edhem Eldem, a Bosphorus University historian, said organizers had not
yet decided whether they would hold a conference at a later date or
scrap the event completely.
"The side that will suffer the greatest loss is, unfortunately, Turkey,"
Eldem said.
EU PRESSURE
The European Union has said it wants to see Turkey improve ties with
neighboring Armenia before it begins EU entry talks later this year.
Some European officials have gone further, saying Turkey must
acknowledge wrongdoing before starting talks.
An EU diplomat called Cicek's remarks "unbelievable.
"It not only kills the government's policy on the Armenian issue. It
will also kill support for Turkey's EU drive," the diplomat told
Reuters.
Hrant Dink, editor of the Armenian weekly Agos, echoed that view. "This
(decision) strengthens the hand of those outside Turkey who say, 'Turkey
has not changed, it is not democratic enough to discuss the Armenian
issue.'
"It shows there is a difference between what the government says and its
intentions."
Several European nations, including Poland, France and Greece, have
passed resolutions that recognize the genocide.
French President Jacques Chirac, whose country is home to Europe's
largest Armenian diaspora, urged Turkey this week to recognize the
genocide and said failure to do so could harm Ankara's drive to join the
EU.
Turkey has accused Europe of using the Armenian issue to mask efforts
against Turkey's inclusion in the affluent bloc.
###
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2005-054
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.armenianassembly.org
May 25, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
RE: Turkish Government Labels Armenian Genocide Conference Planners &
Turkish Participants Traitors -
Forces Conference Cancellation
Organizers of an unprecedented Armenian Genocide conference have been
forced to indefinitely postpone the event set to open in Istanbul today.
The conference, entitled "Ottoman Armenians during the Decline of the
Empire: Issues of Scientific Responsibility and Democracy," was due to
be held at Bosphorus University.
According to Agence France-Presse, Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek
yesterday accused Conference organizers of committing treason, saying,
"We must put an end to this cycle of treason and insult, of spreading
propaganda against the [Turkish] nation by people who belong to it." In
addition, other Turkish officials have demanded copies of all conference
papers.
While Turkey describes itself as a mature democracy with European -Union
aspirations, the country's latest assault on free speech provoked stern
condemnation.
A European Union diplomat today told Reuters that Cicek's remarks are
"unbelievable."
"It not only kills the government's policy on the Armenian issue. It
will also kill support for Turkey's EU drive," the diplomat told
Reuters.
Former Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. Sukru Elekdag, a senior Member of
Parliament for the main opposition Republican People's Party, called the
Conference "a treacherous project" aimed at disseminating pro-Armenian
propaganda "under the guise of research."
Conference planners said in a press statement that "it is high time
Turkey's own academics and intellectuals collectively raise voices that
differ from the official stance" on the Armenian killings. "The
expression of critical and alternative opinions will be to Turkey's
benefit, because it will show how rich in pluralist thinking Turkish
society actually is," the statement said.
Just last October, the Turkish Parliament adopted a package of legal
reforms proposed by the European Community and others. Article 305 of
the Turkish Penal Code criminalizing speech on select subjects,
including the Armenian Genocide, was part of that package. This sets
the stage for possible legal action against Conference planners and
participants. The Turkish government has refused to support rescinding
this prohibition against free speech despite international criticism.
The Armenian Assembly will continue to monitor this official assault on
academic freedom and will report any developments as they happen. On
the eve of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's official visit to the U.S.,
we urge ongoing coverage and commentary.
For additional background information, please see the Reuters article
below.
Turkey postpones conference on Armenian killings
Wed May 25, 2005 3:17 PM BST
By Ayla Jean Yackley
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish university facing accusations of treason
has postponed a conference that offered a platform to academics
questioning a national policy that denies any World War One genocide of
Armenians.
The conference, due to start on Wednesday at Istanbul's Bosphorus
University, was organised as Muslim Turkey faces mounting pressure from
the European Union to accept that mass killings of Christian Armenians
starting in 1915 was genocide.
Turkey's pro-European government has broken with past administrations
and said it is willing to discuss historical differences with Armenians,
but official policy still vehemently rejects claims that 1.5 million
Armenians were slaughtered.
It accepts that hundreds of thousands of Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks but says even more Turks died in a partisan conflict that
erupted as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said in parliament on Tuesday the
conference by Turkish historians who say genocide occurred was a "stab
in the back of the Turkish people.
"We must end this treason, the spreading of propaganda against Turkey by
the people who belong to it," he said.
Bosphorus University said it had decided to put off the conference
because of the prevailing climate.
"We are anxious that, as a state university, scientific freedom will be
compromised due to prejudices about a conference that has not yet
occurred," it said in a statement.
Edhem Eldem, a Bosphorus University historian, said organizers had not
yet decided whether they would hold a conference at a later date or
scrap the event completely.
"The side that will suffer the greatest loss is, unfortunately, Turkey,"
Eldem said.
EU PRESSURE
The European Union has said it wants to see Turkey improve ties with
neighboring Armenia before it begins EU entry talks later this year.
Some European officials have gone further, saying Turkey must
acknowledge wrongdoing before starting talks.
An EU diplomat called Cicek's remarks "unbelievable.
"It not only kills the government's policy on the Armenian issue. It
will also kill support for Turkey's EU drive," the diplomat told
Reuters.
Hrant Dink, editor of the Armenian weekly Agos, echoed that view. "This
(decision) strengthens the hand of those outside Turkey who say, 'Turkey
has not changed, it is not democratic enough to discuss the Armenian
issue.'
"It shows there is a difference between what the government says and its
intentions."
Several European nations, including Poland, France and Greece, have
passed resolutions that recognize the genocide.
French President Jacques Chirac, whose country is home to Europe's
largest Armenian diaspora, urged Turkey this week to recognize the
genocide and said failure to do so could harm Ankara's drive to join the
EU.
Turkey has accused Europe of using the Armenian issue to mask efforts
against Turkey's inclusion in the affluent bloc.
###
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2005-054