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ANKARA: Obama Avoids Concrete Comments On Armenian Issue And The PKK

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  • ANKARA: Obama Avoids Concrete Comments On Armenian Issue And The PKK

    OBAMA AVOIDS CONCRETE COMMENTS ON ARMENIAN ISSUE AND THE PKK

    BIA
    http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/en glish/113653/obama-vague-on-armenian-issue-and-the -pkk
    April 7 2009
    Turkey

    US president meets president Gul and addresses the parliament. He
    avoids making concrete statements on recognizing Armenian genocide
    claims and support on fighting Kurdish rebels; praises Turkey-US
    relations as a model of alliance.

    US President Barack Obama has met President Abdullah Gul and addressed
    the General Assembly in Ankara during the first day of his visit to
    Turkey. Faced with questions on recognizing Armenian Genocide claims
    and aiding the struggle against armed Kurdish rebel group, the PKK,
    Obama abstained from making concrete statements.

    Among the topics of discussions were the situation in Afghanistan
    and the fight against terrorism. Obama, expressed a continued support
    for the latter.

    PKK and the Kurdish issue Responding to a question during the press
    conference, Obama assured the audience that the PKK was regarded as a
    "terrorist organization" by the US. He said that their collaboration
    with the Turkish administration was showing results, as attacks by
    the PKK were in decline. "We discussed with president Gul on how to
    further our support."

    Armenian issue He said that his views on the Armenian Genocide claims
    had not changed, but that he was encouraged by the recent talks between
    Turkey and Armenia. In 2008, he had asserted that the events of 1915
    amounted to a "genocide". This time, he refrained from using the word
    and noted that his aim was to facilitate the ongoing dialogue between
    the two peoples.

    On the other hand, President Gul voiced the Turkish position and
    proposed to leave the discussion to historians. He claimed that both
    Muslim Turks and Armenians suffered during the times of war and that
    the Turkish administration has opened the archives to anyone willing
    to work on them.

    "As the problems in the Caucasus are resolved, the dialogue between
    Turkey and Armenia will go further" he added.

    In parliament During his speech in parliament, Obama referred to recent
    reforms in Turkey and demanded a continuing effort of democratization.

    He welcomed the Kurdish broadcasts in state television as well as
    the abolition of State Security Courts. Nonetheless, he stressed that
    further reforms were needed for freedom of expression and freedom of
    faith, citing the opening of the seminary in Heybeliada.

    The Armenian issue could be discussed in parliament, he told the
    MPs. Regarding Cyprus, the Obama stated that both the US and the UN
    supported a federation of the two peoples.

    As for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Obama emphasized that they
    supported a two-state solution.

    The US President said that while Turkey and his country had not always
    agreed on everything, the two states were stronger when they acted
    together. He said Turkey and the US had to listen to each other and
    seek common ground.

    Protests Around 500 protesters gathered in Ankara and tried to walk
    to parliament, shouting "Yankee go home!". The police intervened and
    took 21 people into custody.

    Activists criticized Obama's visit as part of a plan to "subcontract
    Turkey" to the wars the US and the NATO are waging in Iraq and
    Afghanistan.

    Obama met with opposition party leaders following his address in
    parliament. He is expected to arrive in Istanbul later this evening
    (6 April) and to participate in several meetings tomorrow.(EZO/BC/AGU)
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