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TURKISH PM CANCELS ARGENTINA VISIT IN MONUMENT ROW
Agence France Presse
May 30, 2010 Sunday 6:43 AM GMT
Turkey's prime minister cancelled a visit to Argentina after
authorities there scrapped a plan to unveil a monument of Turkey's
founder, bowing to pressure from ethnic Armenians, officials said
Sunday.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been scheduled to travel to Argentina after
wrapping up a visit to Brazil, and meet with Argentine President
Cristina Kirchner on Monday.
He cancelled the trip after the autonomous administration of Buenos
Aires withdrew a permission for the inauguration of a monument of
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, "as a result
of interference by Armenian circles hostile to Turkey," a foreign
ministry statement said.
Kirchner called Erdogan to say that "our reaction is rightful" but
explained that under Argentine law, the central government was unable
to reverse the decision of the local authorities, the statement said.
Erdogan responded that "this attitude is unacceptable, whatever the
reason is, and cancelled the visit," it added.
Turkey expects Argentina "to take steps as soon as possible to make
up for the shadow that has been cast on bilateral relations," the
statement said.
Argentina is home to a community of ethnic Armenians, decendants
of immigrants who escaped mass killings under the Ottoman Empire,
Turkey's predecessor, during World War I.
Turkish-Armenian ties have been poisoned for decades over Armenian
allegations that up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed at the
hands of their Ottoman rulers in what was a genocide.
Turkey fiercely rejects the genocide label and says between 300,000
and 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks perished in civil
strife when Armenians rose up for independence and sided with invading
Russian forces.
Argentina is among a number of countries that have recognised the
killings as genocide.
Erdogan was now scheduled to travel from Brazil to Chile, the last
stop in his Latin America tour, his office said.
From: A. Papazian
Agence France Presse
May 30, 2010 Sunday 6:43 AM GMT
Turkey's prime minister cancelled a visit to Argentina after
authorities there scrapped a plan to unveil a monument of Turkey's
founder, bowing to pressure from ethnic Armenians, officials said
Sunday.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been scheduled to travel to Argentina after
wrapping up a visit to Brazil, and meet with Argentine President
Cristina Kirchner on Monday.
He cancelled the trip after the autonomous administration of Buenos
Aires withdrew a permission for the inauguration of a monument of
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, "as a result
of interference by Armenian circles hostile to Turkey," a foreign
ministry statement said.
Kirchner called Erdogan to say that "our reaction is rightful" but
explained that under Argentine law, the central government was unable
to reverse the decision of the local authorities, the statement said.
Erdogan responded that "this attitude is unacceptable, whatever the
reason is, and cancelled the visit," it added.
Turkey expects Argentina "to take steps as soon as possible to make
up for the shadow that has been cast on bilateral relations," the
statement said.
Argentina is home to a community of ethnic Armenians, decendants
of immigrants who escaped mass killings under the Ottoman Empire,
Turkey's predecessor, during World War I.
Turkish-Armenian ties have been poisoned for decades over Armenian
allegations that up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed at the
hands of their Ottoman rulers in what was a genocide.
Turkey fiercely rejects the genocide label and says between 300,000
and 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks perished in civil
strife when Armenians rose up for independence and sided with invading
Russian forces.
Argentina is among a number of countries that have recognised the
killings as genocide.
Erdogan was now scheduled to travel from Brazil to Chile, the last
stop in his Latin America tour, his office said.
From: A. Papazian