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ARMENIAN ACADEMIC RETRACTS APOLOGY CAMPAIGN OVER FIERCE REACTIONS
Hurriyet
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/eng lish/world/10960881.asp?scr=1
Feb 9 2009
Turkey
An Armenian academic retracted a planned campaign apologizing to
Turks for killings conducted by his countrymen after drawing fierce
reactions from the diaspora, Hurriyet daily reported on Monday.
Dr. Armen Gavakian from the Macquarie University in Sydney, inspired
by a Turkish initiative, decided last month to launch a campaign to
apologize to Turks for murders committed by the Asala organization
in the 1980s.
Gakavian, however, retracted the campaign over fierce criticism from
Armenian diaspora, Hurriyet wrote.
Prof. Baskin Oran, one of the intellectuals who initiated the Turkish
apology campaign, wrote in Agos daily that they were also exposed to
similar reactions from his fellow citizens.
"His (campaign) resembled ours. Attacks from the Workshop for
Armenian/Turkish Scholarship (WATS) started immediately... They asked
whether the Turks made him write this," he wrote.
Around 200 Turkish academics, writers and journalists have launched a
website issuing an apology to Armenians "for ignoring the tragedy that
the Armenians faced in 1915". The efforts of Turkish intellectuals have
also drawn reaction in Turkey and incited counter website campaigns,
and exhibitions containing information and photographs from studies
conducted into the events.
Gavakian's statement was expected to be opened for signatures
of support this week. "I apologize to the Ottomans and Turks for
murders committed in the name of the Armenian people and I empathize
with the feelings and pain of the Ottomans and Turks," the statement
said according to media reports. He later denied that the statement
included an apology.
Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million
of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915.Turkey
rejects the claims saying that 300,000 Armenians, along with at least
as many Turks, died in civil strife that emerged when Armenians took
up arms, backed by Russia, for independence in eastern Anatolia.
The issue remains unsolved as Armenia drags its feet on accepting
Turkey's proposal to form an independent commission to investigate
the claims.
Hurriyet
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/eng lish/world/10960881.asp?scr=1
Feb 9 2009
Turkey
An Armenian academic retracted a planned campaign apologizing to
Turks for killings conducted by his countrymen after drawing fierce
reactions from the diaspora, Hurriyet daily reported on Monday.
Dr. Armen Gavakian from the Macquarie University in Sydney, inspired
by a Turkish initiative, decided last month to launch a campaign to
apologize to Turks for murders committed by the Asala organization
in the 1980s.
Gakavian, however, retracted the campaign over fierce criticism from
Armenian diaspora, Hurriyet wrote.
Prof. Baskin Oran, one of the intellectuals who initiated the Turkish
apology campaign, wrote in Agos daily that they were also exposed to
similar reactions from his fellow citizens.
"His (campaign) resembled ours. Attacks from the Workshop for
Armenian/Turkish Scholarship (WATS) started immediately... They asked
whether the Turks made him write this," he wrote.
Around 200 Turkish academics, writers and journalists have launched a
website issuing an apology to Armenians "for ignoring the tragedy that
the Armenians faced in 1915". The efforts of Turkish intellectuals have
also drawn reaction in Turkey and incited counter website campaigns,
and exhibitions containing information and photographs from studies
conducted into the events.
Gavakian's statement was expected to be opened for signatures
of support this week. "I apologize to the Ottomans and Turks for
murders committed in the name of the Armenian people and I empathize
with the feelings and pain of the Ottomans and Turks," the statement
said according to media reports. He later denied that the statement
included an apology.
Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million
of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915.Turkey
rejects the claims saying that 300,000 Armenians, along with at least
as many Turks, died in civil strife that emerged when Armenians took
up arms, backed by Russia, for independence in eastern Anatolia.
The issue remains unsolved as Armenia drags its feet on accepting
Turkey's proposal to form an independent commission to investigate
the claims.