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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 16 2012
Ankara moves to create its own diaspora
by Serkan DemirtaÅ?
Turkey is pushing the millions of people in its diaspora to organize
themselves in the interests of countering Armenian genocide claims and
fighting the growing threat of racism in Europe.
`We are working on drafting a strategy document on the diaspora. It
will respond to our priorities, objectives and working methods. We
will also outline our messages through this document,' a senior
government official told the Hürriyet Daily News over the weekend.
The strong Azeri diaspora is likely to be a powerful allied force for
the Turkish diaspora. This strategy is being penned by the Overseas
Turks Agency, established in 2010, a government body led by deputy
Prime Minister Bekir BozdaÄ?.
As part of the plan to create a well-functioning diaspora, the agency
is planning to hold two massive meetings in June and September to
provide solid ground for Turkish nongovernmental organizations based
abroad and those who want to take an active part in such affairs. In
June, around 500 NGOs from mainly European countries and elsewhere
will be invited to Ankara for a conference on legal ways to confront
racist and discriminatory attitudes toward Turks.
`Our objective is to provide our citizens and NGOs information on ways
to claim their rights in a conscious and organized manner,' the
official said. `We advise them to remain within the boundaries of the
law when they face racist attacks. We tell them to go to the police
and make written applications so that these attacks can be addressed
in a proper way using democratic means.'
The Turkish government is seriously concerned by growing racism in
European countries, especially in Western Europe, and is making it an
issue during political talks as well.
`However, we need to do more than this. We are encouraging them to
adopt dual citizenship and enjoy full-pledged rights,' the official
added. In the second phase, officials want to gather around 2,000
Turks living abroad for a meeting in Istanbul which would mark the
establishment of what the official called the `Turkish diaspora.' The
plan is expected to be strengthened by the establishment of alliances
with several other diasporas of like-minded countries ` especially
Azerbaijan.
In line with this idea, officials are planning on holding the meeting
on Sept. 15, the day when Nuri PaÅ?a, an Ottoman general serving under
the infamous Enver PaÅ?a, commander of the Eastern Army Group, saved
Baku from the Russians in 1918.
From: Baghdasarian
April 16 2012
Ankara moves to create its own diaspora
by Serkan DemirtaÅ?
Turkey is pushing the millions of people in its diaspora to organize
themselves in the interests of countering Armenian genocide claims and
fighting the growing threat of racism in Europe.
`We are working on drafting a strategy document on the diaspora. It
will respond to our priorities, objectives and working methods. We
will also outline our messages through this document,' a senior
government official told the Hürriyet Daily News over the weekend.
The strong Azeri diaspora is likely to be a powerful allied force for
the Turkish diaspora. This strategy is being penned by the Overseas
Turks Agency, established in 2010, a government body led by deputy
Prime Minister Bekir BozdaÄ?.
As part of the plan to create a well-functioning diaspora, the agency
is planning to hold two massive meetings in June and September to
provide solid ground for Turkish nongovernmental organizations based
abroad and those who want to take an active part in such affairs. In
June, around 500 NGOs from mainly European countries and elsewhere
will be invited to Ankara for a conference on legal ways to confront
racist and discriminatory attitudes toward Turks.
`Our objective is to provide our citizens and NGOs information on ways
to claim their rights in a conscious and organized manner,' the
official said. `We advise them to remain within the boundaries of the
law when they face racist attacks. We tell them to go to the police
and make written applications so that these attacks can be addressed
in a proper way using democratic means.'
The Turkish government is seriously concerned by growing racism in
European countries, especially in Western Europe, and is making it an
issue during political talks as well.
`However, we need to do more than this. We are encouraging them to
adopt dual citizenship and enjoy full-pledged rights,' the official
added. In the second phase, officials want to gather around 2,000
Turks living abroad for a meeting in Istanbul which would mark the
establishment of what the official called the `Turkish diaspora.' The
plan is expected to be strengthened by the establishment of alliances
with several other diasporas of like-minded countries ` especially
Azerbaijan.
In line with this idea, officials are planning on holding the meeting
on Sept. 15, the day when Nuri PaÅ?a, an Ottoman general serving under
the infamous Enver PaÅ?a, commander of the Eastern Army Group, saved
Baku from the Russians in 1918.
From: Baghdasarian