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70 ACADEMICS DEBATE ARMENIAN AND TURKISH MASSACRES
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
March 15 2006
ISTANBUL - Some 70 Turkish and foreign academics gathered in Istanbul
on Wednesday for a three-day conference to discuss whether the
controversial massacres of Turks and Armenians during World War I
amounted to genocide or not. More than 520.000 Muslims were massacred
by the armed Armenians and more than 1,5 million Muslims were forced
to immigrated by the Armenians and Russians during the World War I.
In a rare move, the gathering, organized by the state university
Istanbul University (IU), offered the floor to academics of all
convictions.
Turkey has refused the Armenian allegations regarding the 1915
events. Ankara acknowledges that 100.000-200.000 Armenians and more
than 520.000 Turks died in civil strife during the last years of the
Ottoman Empire.
Most of hte Ottoman Armenians had joined the occupying Russian armies
in 1917 and the Istanbul Government took a relocation decision for the
Armenian population near the war theatre. However more than 600.000
Armenians returned to the Anatolian towns after the war.
Armenians claim that up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered
in orchestrated killings. However they provide no written document
or any proof but the memories and propaganda materials.
Books detailing the Armenian claims were also available at the entrance
to the conference hall. Almost all pro-Armenian books are frelly sold
in Turkish bookshops in the recent years. However no pro-Turkish book
or material is legal in Armenia.
In September last year a private Istanbul university hosted a landmark
conference organized by intellectuals disputing Turkish official line
on the issue.
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
March 15 2006
ISTANBUL - Some 70 Turkish and foreign academics gathered in Istanbul
on Wednesday for a three-day conference to discuss whether the
controversial massacres of Turks and Armenians during World War I
amounted to genocide or not. More than 520.000 Muslims were massacred
by the armed Armenians and more than 1,5 million Muslims were forced
to immigrated by the Armenians and Russians during the World War I.
In a rare move, the gathering, organized by the state university
Istanbul University (IU), offered the floor to academics of all
convictions.
Turkey has refused the Armenian allegations regarding the 1915
events. Ankara acknowledges that 100.000-200.000 Armenians and more
than 520.000 Turks died in civil strife during the last years of the
Ottoman Empire.
Most of hte Ottoman Armenians had joined the occupying Russian armies
in 1917 and the Istanbul Government took a relocation decision for the
Armenian population near the war theatre. However more than 600.000
Armenians returned to the Anatolian towns after the war.
Armenians claim that up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered
in orchestrated killings. However they provide no written document
or any proof but the memories and propaganda materials.
Books detailing the Armenian claims were also available at the entrance
to the conference hall. Almost all pro-Armenian books are frelly sold
in Turkish bookshops in the recent years. However no pro-Turkish book
or material is legal in Armenia.
In September last year a private Istanbul university hosted a landmark
conference organized by intellectuals disputing Turkish official line
on the issue.