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TURKISH AMBASSADOR SAYS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LABEL HINDERING TRADE TALKS
National Post (Canada)
April 8, 2013 Monday
National Edition
Ottawa Turkey's ambassador to Canada said the Harper government's
decision to label the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks
as genocide may be hindering a potentially lucrative trading
relationship. Ambassador Tuncay Babali said that Canada's position on
the slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1923
still carries a sting. Canada's Parliament voted in 2004 to recognize
the events during an Armenian uprising as a genocide. Mr. Babali
said Turkey wants to forge a free trade agreement with Canada to
complement the current Canada-European Union free trade talks. But,
he said he suspects Canada is not engaging as quickly as Turkey would
like because the genocide issue is still hanging over relations. The
$2.5-billion in two-way trade between the two countries "is far
from the potential" of what Turkey predicts would result from deeper
economic ties: $10-to $15-billion within five years, he said.
From: Baghdasarian
National Post (Canada)
April 8, 2013 Monday
National Edition
Ottawa Turkey's ambassador to Canada said the Harper government's
decision to label the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks
as genocide may be hindering a potentially lucrative trading
relationship. Ambassador Tuncay Babali said that Canada's position on
the slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1923
still carries a sting. Canada's Parliament voted in 2004 to recognize
the events during an Armenian uprising as a genocide. Mr. Babali
said Turkey wants to forge a free trade agreement with Canada to
complement the current Canada-European Union free trade talks. But,
he said he suspects Canada is not engaging as quickly as Turkey would
like because the genocide issue is still hanging over relations. The
$2.5-billion in two-way trade between the two countries "is far
from the potential" of what Turkey predicts would result from deeper
economic ties: $10-to $15-billion within five years, he said.
From: Baghdasarian