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PRESIDENT GUL FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST CHP'S ARITMAN
Today's Zaman
Dec 23 2008
Turkey
President Abdullah Gul has filed a lawsuit against Republican People's
Party (CHP) deputy Canan Arıtman, who claimed that Gul's mother is
of Armenian origin. "Arıtman, who has political motivations, caused
doubts about the performance of the president, who has non-political
responsibilities," the petition states.
"The defendant's claim, which is based on racism and discrimination,
is a heavy assault on the client's personal and family values,
honor and reputation." The 1 YTL lawsuit petition submitted by the
president's lawyer, Omer Kucuközcan, refers to Arıtman's claims.
On Dec. 17, Arıtman attacked the campaign initiated by a group of
intellectuals to apologize for the Armenian massacres of 1915, which
Armenians claim constituted genocide.
"The false scientists signing it should apologize to Turkey," she
said, claiming that Gul -- because of his "ethnic origins" -- was
rubberstamping the campaign. "We see that the president supports
this campaign. Abdullah Gul should be the president of the entire
Turkish nation, not just of those sharing his ethnicity. Investigate
the ethnic origin of the president's mother and you will see."
The petition states that Gul stands at an equal distance from all
citizens in his current position and that in his previous duties as
a deputy, foreign minister, deputy prime minister, prime minister
and president, he expressed his ideas openly at the national and
international platforms on the topic and on Turkish-Armenian relations.
"My client's views have been distorted and it was suggested that he
has ethnic ties on his mother's side, as if he stands closer to a
part of society because of that," the petition states.
The petition also states that according to the news reports, CHP head
Deniz Baykal has been uneasy about Arıtman's statements.
"It would be impossible to compensate for the damages that occurred
because of this issue; however, we demand a compensation of 1 YTL
only to identify the injustice," the petition states.
Meanwhile, the CHP administration issued a warning to Arıtman after
she appeared on two TV news shows about her allegations about Gul
without the CHP administration's permission.
On Sunday, Gul released a statement, saying: "I respect the ethnic
background, different beliefs and family ties of all my citizens and
see this as a reality and also the wealth of our country with its
imperial history. I also would like to emphasize that all my citizens
are equal to one another regardless of any differences. No one has any
superiority whatsoever over another one. Everybody has the equal and
same rights under the guarantee of our Constitution." He added, "I am
proud of our country, which has reached this level of understanding."
He also announced that his mother's side, the Satoglu family from
Kayseri, and his father's side, the Gul family also from Kayseri,
are Muslim and Turkish, according to centuries of written genealogy
records.
Speaking at a CHP congress Sunday, Arıtman responded to Gul's
statement. "I never asked the president to announce his genealogical
background. I just wanted him to protect his nation and state, the
duty assigned to him by the Constitution."
"Why doesn't the president show the principled stance shown by the
prime minister?" Arıtman asked during the congress. Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted harshly to the statement, saying he had
nothing to apologize for.
"It is wrong for the president not to demonstrate the same stance. How
can a president not protect the rights and pride of his state and
nation?" she asked, telling the Milliyet newspaper that the campaign
had worked to create the impression in the international community
that Turkey had accepted the allegations of genocide.
The declaration was signed and put on a Web site by a group of
academics, writers and commentators calling on others to join the
campaign. About 20,000 people have signed the statement so far.
--Boundary_(ID_fv0Hvhny65E8XQEX3YPEug)--
Today's Zaman
Dec 23 2008
Turkey
President Abdullah Gul has filed a lawsuit against Republican People's
Party (CHP) deputy Canan Arıtman, who claimed that Gul's mother is
of Armenian origin. "Arıtman, who has political motivations, caused
doubts about the performance of the president, who has non-political
responsibilities," the petition states.
"The defendant's claim, which is based on racism and discrimination,
is a heavy assault on the client's personal and family values,
honor and reputation." The 1 YTL lawsuit petition submitted by the
president's lawyer, Omer Kucuközcan, refers to Arıtman's claims.
On Dec. 17, Arıtman attacked the campaign initiated by a group of
intellectuals to apologize for the Armenian massacres of 1915, which
Armenians claim constituted genocide.
"The false scientists signing it should apologize to Turkey," she
said, claiming that Gul -- because of his "ethnic origins" -- was
rubberstamping the campaign. "We see that the president supports
this campaign. Abdullah Gul should be the president of the entire
Turkish nation, not just of those sharing his ethnicity. Investigate
the ethnic origin of the president's mother and you will see."
The petition states that Gul stands at an equal distance from all
citizens in his current position and that in his previous duties as
a deputy, foreign minister, deputy prime minister, prime minister
and president, he expressed his ideas openly at the national and
international platforms on the topic and on Turkish-Armenian relations.
"My client's views have been distorted and it was suggested that he
has ethnic ties on his mother's side, as if he stands closer to a
part of society because of that," the petition states.
The petition also states that according to the news reports, CHP head
Deniz Baykal has been uneasy about Arıtman's statements.
"It would be impossible to compensate for the damages that occurred
because of this issue; however, we demand a compensation of 1 YTL
only to identify the injustice," the petition states.
Meanwhile, the CHP administration issued a warning to Arıtman after
she appeared on two TV news shows about her allegations about Gul
without the CHP administration's permission.
On Sunday, Gul released a statement, saying: "I respect the ethnic
background, different beliefs and family ties of all my citizens and
see this as a reality and also the wealth of our country with its
imperial history. I also would like to emphasize that all my citizens
are equal to one another regardless of any differences. No one has any
superiority whatsoever over another one. Everybody has the equal and
same rights under the guarantee of our Constitution." He added, "I am
proud of our country, which has reached this level of understanding."
He also announced that his mother's side, the Satoglu family from
Kayseri, and his father's side, the Gul family also from Kayseri,
are Muslim and Turkish, according to centuries of written genealogy
records.
Speaking at a CHP congress Sunday, Arıtman responded to Gul's
statement. "I never asked the president to announce his genealogical
background. I just wanted him to protect his nation and state, the
duty assigned to him by the Constitution."
"Why doesn't the president show the principled stance shown by the
prime minister?" Arıtman asked during the congress. Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted harshly to the statement, saying he had
nothing to apologize for.
"It is wrong for the president not to demonstrate the same stance. How
can a president not protect the rights and pride of his state and
nation?" she asked, telling the Milliyet newspaper that the campaign
had worked to create the impression in the international community
that Turkey had accepted the allegations of genocide.
The declaration was signed and put on a Web site by a group of
academics, writers and commentators calling on others to join the
campaign. About 20,000 people have signed the statement so far.
--Boundary_(ID_fv0Hvhny65E8XQEX3YPEug)--