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Press TV, Iran
April 24 2014
Turkey condoles Armenia over WWI mass killings
Wed Apr 23, 2014 5:32PM GMT
Turkey has, for the first time, offered condolences to the descendants
of the victims of the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman troops
during the First World War.
In a rare expression of sympathy on the eve of the 99th anniversary of
the mass killing of Armenians, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan issued an official statement on Wednesday which was translated
into nine different languages, including Armenian.
Using an unprecedented conciliatory language, the Turkish premier
called for dialogue between the two countries, and the formation of a
commission to probe the incident.
"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," Erdogan
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
towards one another," he added.
Erdogan, however, re-iterated a long-held Turkish position that the
incident should be commemorated "without discriminating as to religion
or ethnicity."
"Using the events of 1915 as an excuse for hostility against Turkey
and turning this issue into a matter of political conflict is
inadmissible," he added.
Yerevan claims up to 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed
between 1915 and 1917 when the Ottoman Empire was falling apart.
Ankara categorically rejects the term genocide, saying 500,000 died in
fighting and of starvation during World War I.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for
its regional ally, Azerbaijan, which had a dispute with Armenia over
the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The region is internationally recognized as an Azeri territory but was
seized by Armenia-backed separatists in the 1990s.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/04/23/359801/turkey-offers-condolences-to-armenia/
April 24 2014
Turkey condoles Armenia over WWI mass killings
Wed Apr 23, 2014 5:32PM GMT
Turkey has, for the first time, offered condolences to the descendants
of the victims of the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman troops
during the First World War.
In a rare expression of sympathy on the eve of the 99th anniversary of
the mass killing of Armenians, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan issued an official statement on Wednesday which was translated
into nine different languages, including Armenian.
Using an unprecedented conciliatory language, the Turkish premier
called for dialogue between the two countries, and the formation of a
commission to probe the incident.
"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," Erdogan
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
towards one another," he added.
Erdogan, however, re-iterated a long-held Turkish position that the
incident should be commemorated "without discriminating as to religion
or ethnicity."
"Using the events of 1915 as an excuse for hostility against Turkey
and turning this issue into a matter of political conflict is
inadmissible," he added.
Yerevan claims up to 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed
between 1915 and 1917 when the Ottoman Empire was falling apart.
Ankara categorically rejects the term genocide, saying 500,000 died in
fighting and of starvation during World War I.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for
its regional ally, Azerbaijan, which had a dispute with Armenia over
the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The region is internationally recognized as an Azeri territory but was
seized by Armenia-backed separatists in the 1990s.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/04/23/359801/turkey-offers-condolences-to-armenia/