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Gulf News, UAE
April 25 2014
Armenia brushes off Turkish condolences on First World War killings
Turkey accused of 'utter denial' in failing to recognise mass killings
as genocide
Yerevan: Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian on Thursday accused Turkey
of an "utter denial" in failing to recognise First World War mass
killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide, apparently
brushing off Ankara's first ever offer of condolences for the tragedy.
In an unprecedented move described by the United States as a historic
gesture, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday
offered condolences over the massacres, calling them "our shared
pain".
But in a statement marking the 99th anniversary of the start of the
killings and mass deportations, Sarkisian made no acknowledgement of
Erdogan's move and instead accused Turkey of continuing to ignore the
facts.
"The Armenian genocide... is alive as far as the successor of the
Ottoman Turkey continues its policy of utter denial," he said.
"The denial of a crime constitutes the direct continuation of that
very crime," he added. "Only recognition and condemnation can prevent
the repetition of such crimes in the future."
He said the looming 100th anniversary offered "Turkey a good chance to
repent and to set aside the historical stigma in case if they make
efforts to set free their state's future from this heavy burden."
He also stressed that the events of 1915 "should not prevent Turks and
Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes
towards one another."
US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Washington welcomed
Erdogan's "historic public acknowledgement of the suffering that
Armenians experienced in 1915."
Thursday was a day of national mourning in Armenia and requiem masses
were held in churches across the country marking the 99th anniversary
of the massacres.
All national television channels ran live broadcast of the annual
ceremony which saw thousands of Armenians flocking to a hilltop
memorial above Yerevan to lay flowers at the eternal flame.
"I came here for the first time with my father when I was
five-year-old, today I came here with my grandson and he knows what we
expect from the world and from Turkey," 58-year-old resident of
Yerevan Narine Balayan said.
"I do hope that when he comes here with his grandchildren all problems
with Turkey will be resolved," she said.
In Istanbul, a commemorations also took place but on a far smaller
scale, gathering a few hundred people.
A group calling itself "The Platform for the Commemoration of 24
April's Armenian Genocide" organised the rally on the steps of the
Haydarpasa train station, from where the first convoy of Armenians
were deported on April 24, 1915 after being rounded up by the
authorities.
The group carried black and white photos of deportees and a banner
that read: "We commemorate the victims of Armenian genocide: some
wounds do not heal with time".
"Yes, it is true. This is our shared pain. We are here to share the
pain of Armenians," activist Levent Sensever said.
Another demonstration was to be held later in Taksim Square, a
traditional rallying point which was the scene of mass anti-government
protests in June.
Traditionally, thousands of members of the Armenian diaspora from
around the world arrive in Yerevan to take part in the ceremony.
This year saw many Armenians from conflict-ridden Syria -- descendants
of those who fled Ottoman persecution in 1915 -- return to the
ancestral homeland.
In his Thursday statement Sarkisian said the fate of Armenians in
Syria "is our open wound and the issue of our primary concern."
On Wednesday, young activists of the nationalist Dashnaktsutyun party
burned Turkish flags and led a 15,000-strong torch-lit procession in
Yerevan.
They held placards that read "Recognition-Condemnation-Compensation"
and "Turkey still hides behind lies."
One of Dashnaktsutyun leaders, Kiro Manoyan, denounced Erdogan's
statement as an "attempt to deceive us and the world."
Erdogan acknowledged that the events of 1915 had "inhumane
consequences" but also said it was "inadmissable" for them to be used
as an excuse today for hostility against Turkey.
Using both diplomatic levers and its influential diaspora abroad,
Armenia has long sought to win the massacre's international
recognition as genocide.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed during First World
War as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, a claim supported by
several other countries.
Turkey argues 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks
died in civil strife when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman
rulers siding with invading Russian troops.
Over 20 countries have so far recognised the massacres as genocide.
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/armenia-brushes-off-turkish-condolences-on-first-world-war-killings-1.1323975
April 25 2014
Armenia brushes off Turkish condolences on First World War killings
Turkey accused of 'utter denial' in failing to recognise mass killings
as genocide
Yerevan: Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian on Thursday accused Turkey
of an "utter denial" in failing to recognise First World War mass
killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide, apparently
brushing off Ankara's first ever offer of condolences for the tragedy.
In an unprecedented move described by the United States as a historic
gesture, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday
offered condolences over the massacres, calling them "our shared
pain".
But in a statement marking the 99th anniversary of the start of the
killings and mass deportations, Sarkisian made no acknowledgement of
Erdogan's move and instead accused Turkey of continuing to ignore the
facts.
"The Armenian genocide... is alive as far as the successor of the
Ottoman Turkey continues its policy of utter denial," he said.
"The denial of a crime constitutes the direct continuation of that
very crime," he added. "Only recognition and condemnation can prevent
the repetition of such crimes in the future."
He said the looming 100th anniversary offered "Turkey a good chance to
repent and to set aside the historical stigma in case if they make
efforts to set free their state's future from this heavy burden."
He also stressed that the events of 1915 "should not prevent Turks and
Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes
towards one another."
US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Washington welcomed
Erdogan's "historic public acknowledgement of the suffering that
Armenians experienced in 1915."
Thursday was a day of national mourning in Armenia and requiem masses
were held in churches across the country marking the 99th anniversary
of the massacres.
All national television channels ran live broadcast of the annual
ceremony which saw thousands of Armenians flocking to a hilltop
memorial above Yerevan to lay flowers at the eternal flame.
"I came here for the first time with my father when I was
five-year-old, today I came here with my grandson and he knows what we
expect from the world and from Turkey," 58-year-old resident of
Yerevan Narine Balayan said.
"I do hope that when he comes here with his grandchildren all problems
with Turkey will be resolved," she said.
In Istanbul, a commemorations also took place but on a far smaller
scale, gathering a few hundred people.
A group calling itself "The Platform for the Commemoration of 24
April's Armenian Genocide" organised the rally on the steps of the
Haydarpasa train station, from where the first convoy of Armenians
were deported on April 24, 1915 after being rounded up by the
authorities.
The group carried black and white photos of deportees and a banner
that read: "We commemorate the victims of Armenian genocide: some
wounds do not heal with time".
"Yes, it is true. This is our shared pain. We are here to share the
pain of Armenians," activist Levent Sensever said.
Another demonstration was to be held later in Taksim Square, a
traditional rallying point which was the scene of mass anti-government
protests in June.
Traditionally, thousands of members of the Armenian diaspora from
around the world arrive in Yerevan to take part in the ceremony.
This year saw many Armenians from conflict-ridden Syria -- descendants
of those who fled Ottoman persecution in 1915 -- return to the
ancestral homeland.
In his Thursday statement Sarkisian said the fate of Armenians in
Syria "is our open wound and the issue of our primary concern."
On Wednesday, young activists of the nationalist Dashnaktsutyun party
burned Turkish flags and led a 15,000-strong torch-lit procession in
Yerevan.
They held placards that read "Recognition-Condemnation-Compensation"
and "Turkey still hides behind lies."
One of Dashnaktsutyun leaders, Kiro Manoyan, denounced Erdogan's
statement as an "attempt to deceive us and the world."
Erdogan acknowledged that the events of 1915 had "inhumane
consequences" but also said it was "inadmissable" for them to be used
as an excuse today for hostility against Turkey.
Using both diplomatic levers and its influential diaspora abroad,
Armenia has long sought to win the massacre's international
recognition as genocide.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed during First World
War as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, a claim supported by
several other countries.
Turkey argues 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks
died in civil strife when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman
rulers siding with invading Russian troops.
Over 20 countries have so far recognised the massacres as genocide.
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/armenia-brushes-off-turkish-condolences-on-first-world-war-killings-1.1323975