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CONDOLENCES FOR ARMENIAN KILLINGS
The Herald, Scotland
April 24 2014
ANKARA
Thursday 24 April 2014
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has offered what the government
said are unprecedented condolences to the grandchildren of Armenians
killed in the First World War by Ottoman soldiers.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has offered what the government
said are unprecedented condolences to the grandchildren of Armenians
killed in the First World War by Ottoman soldiers.
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Custom byline text: ANKARA
In a statement issued on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the deaths,
Mr Erdogan unexpectedly described the events of 1915 as "inhumane",
using more conciliatory language than has often been the case for
Turkish leaders.
A Turkish Government official said it was the first time a Turkish
prime minister had offered such explicit condolences, but it was
not immediately clear if it would be enough to bring about a thaw in
relations between Ankara and its neighbour.
The exact nature and scale of what happened during fighting that
started in 1915 is highly contentious and continues to sour relations
between Turkey and Armenia, a former Soviet republic. Turkey accepts
that many Armenians died in clashes, but denies up to 1.5 million
were killed and that this constituted genocide.
Mr Erdogan's statement - unusually released in nine different languages
including Armenian - repeated previous calls for dialogue between
the two countries, and the setting up of a historical commission to
probe events surrounding the killings.
"It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who
lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in
peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren," he said.
"Having experienced events which had inhumane consequences - such as
relocation - during the First World War, should not prevent Turks and
Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes
among towards one another."
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/world-news/condolences-for-armenian-killings.24035555
The Herald, Scotland
April 24 2014
ANKARA
Thursday 24 April 2014
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has offered what the government
said are unprecedented condolences to the grandchildren of Armenians
killed in the First World War by Ottoman soldiers.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has offered what the government
said are unprecedented condolences to the grandchildren of Armenians
killed in the First World War by Ottoman soldiers.
Sorry, you must sign in before you can print full articles.
Custom byline text: ANKARA
In a statement issued on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the deaths,
Mr Erdogan unexpectedly described the events of 1915 as "inhumane",
using more conciliatory language than has often been the case for
Turkish leaders.
A Turkish Government official said it was the first time a Turkish
prime minister had offered such explicit condolences, but it was
not immediately clear if it would be enough to bring about a thaw in
relations between Ankara and its neighbour.
The exact nature and scale of what happened during fighting that
started in 1915 is highly contentious and continues to sour relations
between Turkey and Armenia, a former Soviet republic. Turkey accepts
that many Armenians died in clashes, but denies up to 1.5 million
were killed and that this constituted genocide.
Mr Erdogan's statement - unusually released in nine different languages
including Armenian - repeated previous calls for dialogue between
the two countries, and the setting up of a historical commission to
probe events surrounding the killings.
"It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who
lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in
peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren," he said.
"Having experienced events which had inhumane consequences - such as
relocation - during the First World War, should not prevent Turks and
Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes
among towards one another."
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/world-news/condolences-for-armenian-killings.24035555