SHARMAZANOV: "TURKEY'S REACTION SHOWED REAL IMAGE"
http://www.a1plus.am/en/politics/2012/01/24/sharmazanov
06:57 pm | January 24, 2012 | Politics
The Turkish authorities' reaction to the French Senate's adoption of
the bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial showed once again the
real image of that country's political elite and that that country
has nothing in common with European values," NA Vice-Chairman Eduard
Sharmazanov told "A1+".
According to him, European values contain within them tolerance,
peaceful coexistence and require nations to come to grips with the
dark pages of their history.
"Even if we compare the example set by Germany 50 years ago and the
example of modern-day Turkey, we see that there is nothing in common
at all. The entire region of Europe is first a region of ideology, an
association of people and states living with democratic values. There
is no democracy without tolerance and without the will to come to
grips with history," Sharmazanov mentioned.
Addressing the arguments of those against the bill, according to whom
the adoption will further increase the Turkish society's intolerance
and can give way to extreme measures in the Turkish communities of
Europe, Sharmazanov mentioned:
"By adopting this bill, the French government knows very well the
steps that Turkey can take and what kind of blackmail that that country
may use. However, the policy of blackmail is doomed since history has
shown that you can't go against the truth. The truth is that genocide
did take place, and France, as a country that has humanist values,
accepts that the denial of genocides is as dangerous as perpetration
of genocide."
In his speech at the Mili Mejlis today, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan
stressed that the Senate's law "doesn't exist for Turkey". "This
is discrimination, racism and an attack against freedom of speech,"
Erdogan said.
http://www.a1plus.am/en/politics/2012/01/24/sharmazanov
06:57 pm | January 24, 2012 | Politics
The Turkish authorities' reaction to the French Senate's adoption of
the bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial showed once again the
real image of that country's political elite and that that country
has nothing in common with European values," NA Vice-Chairman Eduard
Sharmazanov told "A1+".
According to him, European values contain within them tolerance,
peaceful coexistence and require nations to come to grips with the
dark pages of their history.
"Even if we compare the example set by Germany 50 years ago and the
example of modern-day Turkey, we see that there is nothing in common
at all. The entire region of Europe is first a region of ideology, an
association of people and states living with democratic values. There
is no democracy without tolerance and without the will to come to
grips with history," Sharmazanov mentioned.
Addressing the arguments of those against the bill, according to whom
the adoption will further increase the Turkish society's intolerance
and can give way to extreme measures in the Turkish communities of
Europe, Sharmazanov mentioned:
"By adopting this bill, the French government knows very well the
steps that Turkey can take and what kind of blackmail that that country
may use. However, the policy of blackmail is doomed since history has
shown that you can't go against the truth. The truth is that genocide
did take place, and France, as a country that has humanist values,
accepts that the denial of genocides is as dangerous as perpetration
of genocide."
In his speech at the Mili Mejlis today, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan
stressed that the Senate's law "doesn't exist for Turkey". "This
is discrimination, racism and an attack against freedom of speech,"
Erdogan said.