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ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY WARNS RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN "GENOCIDE" COULD THREATEN TIES WITH TURKEY
Xinhua General News Service
December 26, 2011 Monday 10:55 AM EST
China
The Israeli Foreign Ministry warned that Israel's possible recognition
of the so-called Armenian "genocide", which was discussed in a Knesset
committee on Monday, could lead to a serious deterioration of Israel's
ties with Turkey.
Lawmakers of the Knesset Education Committee on Monday debated whether
Israel should officially recognize the killing of Armenians under
the Ottoman rule during World War I.
Turkey hotly denies the "genocide" claim, saying that the victims
were casualties of war and unrest and that the number of deaths
were exaggerated.
The Israeli discussion came on the heels of the efforts in France
to pass a bill that criminalizes denial of the "genocide" claim and
stipulates penalties including up to one year's jail term and a fine
of 45,000 euros.
Ankara last week recalled its ambassador to France in protest of
the bill.
The Israeli foreign ministry has long held that realpolitic with
Turkey trumped any official recognition of the "genocide", and that
the 100-year-old issue is a matter to be decided "by historians,
not politicians."
The ministry's officials have also averred that making such a symbolic
gesture would only serve to worsen the already tense bilateral
relations.
"This subject, given the current atmosphere, could deteriorate
our ties with Turkey," a ministry representative told the group of
parliamentarians, according to the Haaretz daily.
"Our relationship with Turkey is very fragile and sensitive right
now, and we cannot cross the line -- we must approach the subject
intelligently. Such a decision could have very serious strategic
consequences," he said, echoing a view held by the prime minister's
office.
But on Sunday, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin overruled a request
by the National Security Council Chairman Yaakov Amidror to put off
the session.
"Diplomatic considerations, however important they may be, do not allow
us to deny the catastrophe of another nation. We are not referring to
the current Turkish government or to the current political situation,
but to a historical event that should be made known so that it will
not happen again. The state of Israel aspires to restore friendly
relations with Turkey, and I do not see why the commemoration of the
Armenian catastrophe should prevent this," Rivlin said.
Turkey and Armenia have been bogged down in a dispute over the World
War I-era deaths of Armenians under the Ottoman rule. Armenia says
the deaths occurred in a "genocide," while Turkey denies the charge
and insists that the Armenians were victims of widespread chaos and
governmental breakdown as the Ottoman Empire collapsed before modern
Turkey was created.
From: Baghdasarian
Xinhua General News Service
December 26, 2011 Monday 10:55 AM EST
China
The Israeli Foreign Ministry warned that Israel's possible recognition
of the so-called Armenian "genocide", which was discussed in a Knesset
committee on Monday, could lead to a serious deterioration of Israel's
ties with Turkey.
Lawmakers of the Knesset Education Committee on Monday debated whether
Israel should officially recognize the killing of Armenians under
the Ottoman rule during World War I.
Turkey hotly denies the "genocide" claim, saying that the victims
were casualties of war and unrest and that the number of deaths
were exaggerated.
The Israeli discussion came on the heels of the efforts in France
to pass a bill that criminalizes denial of the "genocide" claim and
stipulates penalties including up to one year's jail term and a fine
of 45,000 euros.
Ankara last week recalled its ambassador to France in protest of
the bill.
The Israeli foreign ministry has long held that realpolitic with
Turkey trumped any official recognition of the "genocide", and that
the 100-year-old issue is a matter to be decided "by historians,
not politicians."
The ministry's officials have also averred that making such a symbolic
gesture would only serve to worsen the already tense bilateral
relations.
"This subject, given the current atmosphere, could deteriorate
our ties with Turkey," a ministry representative told the group of
parliamentarians, according to the Haaretz daily.
"Our relationship with Turkey is very fragile and sensitive right
now, and we cannot cross the line -- we must approach the subject
intelligently. Such a decision could have very serious strategic
consequences," he said, echoing a view held by the prime minister's
office.
But on Sunday, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin overruled a request
by the National Security Council Chairman Yaakov Amidror to put off
the session.
"Diplomatic considerations, however important they may be, do not allow
us to deny the catastrophe of another nation. We are not referring to
the current Turkish government or to the current political situation,
but to a historical event that should be made known so that it will
not happen again. The state of Israel aspires to restore friendly
relations with Turkey, and I do not see why the commemoration of the
Armenian catastrophe should prevent this," Rivlin said.
Turkey and Armenia have been bogged down in a dispute over the World
War I-era deaths of Armenians under the Ottoman rule. Armenia says
the deaths occurred in a "genocide," while Turkey denies the charge
and insists that the Armenians were victims of widespread chaos and
governmental breakdown as the Ottoman Empire collapsed before modern
Turkey was created.
From: Baghdasarian