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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Jan 24 2009
EU gives official response to query on Gönül comment
The European Union has officially responded to an inquiry regarding a
statement made by Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül last
November, dubbing his remarks "not helpful."
Gönül, speaking in Brussels on Nov. 10 at a ceremony
commemorating Atatürk's death, had argued that the expulsion of
Greeks and Armenians had contributed to the creation of modern
Turkey. These remarks led to a huge outcry in Turkey. Responding to a
written query from a member of the European Parliament, EU Enlargement
Commissioner Olli Rehn, for the first time on behalf of the European
Union, said the EU does not agree with the remarks made by the
minister and pointed out that Gönül had been strongly
criticized in the Turkish press.
Responding to a question from Greek Christian Democrat MEP Margaritis
Schinas, Rehn underlined that the minister's statements had already
sparked a great deal of criticism in the Turkish press and from the
public at large. Rehn also made it clear that these sorts of remarks
did not aid reconciliation over painful historical events. "The
position of the commission is that only an informed and open societal
debate can pave the way for reconciliation on painful and divisive
historical events. Such statements, as reported by the press, do not
appear to the commission to be particularly helpful in this context,"
said the commissioner.
The Greek MEP's inquiry claimed Gönül's remarks were
provocative and hurt the feelings of many European descendants of
Greeks and Armenians. Asking why the EU has not lodged a formal
protest, the MEP said: "Given that Turkey is a candidate for EU
membership, when will the commission lodge an official protest at
these provocative utterances by the Turkish minister for national
defense concerning the need for the genocide of Pontic Greeks and
Armenians, particularly in view of the fact that the millions of
European descendants of the victims can only feel slighted at this
affront to the historic memory of their family forebears?"
Gönül's remarks have been widely used against Turkey by
the Armenian diaspora and Kurdish groups affiliated with the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
24 January 2009, Saturday
SELÃ?UK GÃ`LTAÅ?LI BRUSSELS
Jan 24 2009
EU gives official response to query on Gönül comment
The European Union has officially responded to an inquiry regarding a
statement made by Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül last
November, dubbing his remarks "not helpful."
Gönül, speaking in Brussels on Nov. 10 at a ceremony
commemorating Atatürk's death, had argued that the expulsion of
Greeks and Armenians had contributed to the creation of modern
Turkey. These remarks led to a huge outcry in Turkey. Responding to a
written query from a member of the European Parliament, EU Enlargement
Commissioner Olli Rehn, for the first time on behalf of the European
Union, said the EU does not agree with the remarks made by the
minister and pointed out that Gönül had been strongly
criticized in the Turkish press.
Responding to a question from Greek Christian Democrat MEP Margaritis
Schinas, Rehn underlined that the minister's statements had already
sparked a great deal of criticism in the Turkish press and from the
public at large. Rehn also made it clear that these sorts of remarks
did not aid reconciliation over painful historical events. "The
position of the commission is that only an informed and open societal
debate can pave the way for reconciliation on painful and divisive
historical events. Such statements, as reported by the press, do not
appear to the commission to be particularly helpful in this context,"
said the commissioner.
The Greek MEP's inquiry claimed Gönül's remarks were
provocative and hurt the feelings of many European descendants of
Greeks and Armenians. Asking why the EU has not lodged a formal
protest, the MEP said: "Given that Turkey is a candidate for EU
membership, when will the commission lodge an official protest at
these provocative utterances by the Turkish minister for national
defense concerning the need for the genocide of Pontic Greeks and
Armenians, particularly in view of the fact that the millions of
European descendants of the victims can only feel slighted at this
affront to the historic memory of their family forebears?"
Gönül's remarks have been widely used against Turkey by
the Armenian diaspora and Kurdish groups affiliated with the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
24 January 2009, Saturday
SELÃ?UK GÃ`LTAÅ?LI BRUSSELS