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Victoria Times Colonist, BC, Canada
Sept 21 2012
Ottawa unveils monument to slain Turkish diplomat, as Armenians recall genocide
OTTAWA - The Harper government has unveiled a controversial monument
to slain diplomats on the spot where a Turkish diplomat was gunned
down in Ottawa 30 years ago, allegedly by Armenian terrorists.
The cone-shaped metal-and-wood monument is dedicated to Col. Atilla
Altikat, the slain military attache of the Turkish embassy, and is
also meant to commemorate all fallen diplomats.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird referred to the recent killing of
the U.S. ambassador to Libya as he unveiled the monument with his
Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutolu, who travelled to Ottawa for the
event.
The monument also represents an olive branch from Canada to Turkey
because of rift caused by the Harper government's decision in 2006 to
recognize as genocide the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in the
First World War.
The move angered Turkey, a NATO ally, and led to the temporary
withdrawal of its ambassador to Ottawa.
An internal foreign policy review carried out last year for Baird
identified Turkey has a key player in the world, and a country that
Canada should be focused on.
The monument was designed and built in Turkey and shipped to Canada
under tight security.
`Sadly, both Turkey and Canada have lost talented and distinguished
diplomats through senseless acts of violence directed at our
countries,' Baird said in a statement.
`Recent events prove, tragically, that the dangers facing diplomats
and public servants in foreign postings are still an unfortunate
reality.'
Armenian Canadians were happy with the government's 2006 decision to
recognize the genocide.
But Thursday's visit by Davutolu sparked the Armenian National
Committee of Canada to call on Baird to take Turkey to task for its
human-rights record, including what it called Turkey's continued
denial of the Armenian genocide.
The organization pointed to Amnesty International's 2012 report that
cited a lack of constitutional legal reforms and flawed anti-terrorism
laws.
`Canada must not turn a blind eye to Turkey's centuries-old and
continued disregard for human rights,' the committee's president,
Girair Basmadjian, said in a statement.
`Canada must condemn Turkey's attempts to deny the historical truth of
the Armenian Genocide.'
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Ottawa+unveils+monument+slain+Turkish+diplomat+Arm enians+recall+genocide/7275798/story.html
Sept 21 2012
Ottawa unveils monument to slain Turkish diplomat, as Armenians recall genocide
OTTAWA - The Harper government has unveiled a controversial monument
to slain diplomats on the spot where a Turkish diplomat was gunned
down in Ottawa 30 years ago, allegedly by Armenian terrorists.
The cone-shaped metal-and-wood monument is dedicated to Col. Atilla
Altikat, the slain military attache of the Turkish embassy, and is
also meant to commemorate all fallen diplomats.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird referred to the recent killing of
the U.S. ambassador to Libya as he unveiled the monument with his
Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutolu, who travelled to Ottawa for the
event.
The monument also represents an olive branch from Canada to Turkey
because of rift caused by the Harper government's decision in 2006 to
recognize as genocide the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in the
First World War.
The move angered Turkey, a NATO ally, and led to the temporary
withdrawal of its ambassador to Ottawa.
An internal foreign policy review carried out last year for Baird
identified Turkey has a key player in the world, and a country that
Canada should be focused on.
The monument was designed and built in Turkey and shipped to Canada
under tight security.
`Sadly, both Turkey and Canada have lost talented and distinguished
diplomats through senseless acts of violence directed at our
countries,' Baird said in a statement.
`Recent events prove, tragically, that the dangers facing diplomats
and public servants in foreign postings are still an unfortunate
reality.'
Armenian Canadians were happy with the government's 2006 decision to
recognize the genocide.
But Thursday's visit by Davutolu sparked the Armenian National
Committee of Canada to call on Baird to take Turkey to task for its
human-rights record, including what it called Turkey's continued
denial of the Armenian genocide.
The organization pointed to Amnesty International's 2012 report that
cited a lack of constitutional legal reforms and flawed anti-terrorism
laws.
`Canada must not turn a blind eye to Turkey's centuries-old and
continued disregard for human rights,' the committee's president,
Girair Basmadjian, said in a statement.
`Canada must condemn Turkey's attempts to deny the historical truth of
the Armenian Genocide.'
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Ottawa+unveils+monument+slain+Turkish+diplomat+Arm enians+recall+genocide/7275798/story.html