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TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS ARMENIAN CONDOLENCE MESSAGE CALL FOR CONSENSUS
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 24 2014
Ankara (AA) -Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey
extended its hand to Armenia with Prime Minister Erdogan's latest
statement that offered condolences to the Armenians who lost their
lives during the 1915 events.
"This is a call to build a consensus on history," Davutoglu told
private broadcaster NTV. "Our Prime Minister extended Turkey's hand
to Armenia to get our minds and hearts closer. If it gets an answer,
then we can build a future together. If not, we will go back to the
former discourses."
On Wednesday, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan released
a statement in nine languages, including Armenian, in which he termed
the events of 1915 as "inhumane."
"Regardless of their ethnic or religious origins, we pay tribute with
compassion and respect to all Ottoman citizens who lost their lives
in the events of 1915," the statement said.
Davutoglu hailed the statement, saying it accomplished its goal
considering the reactions worldwide. "It demonstrates a just and
humane stance and gives the idea to build a future together."
He said a transformation in Turkey-Armenia relations could be achieved
if politicians were brave enough to change political discourses. "This
is what Mr Prime Minister did."
Davutoglu also reiterated Turkey's calls for academic research of the
1915 events to be carried out by a commission of Turkish, Armenian
and international historians.
"If we can agree on the method to discuss the events, then we can
build a future together," he said.
Aided by the invading Russian army during the First World War, Armenian
gangs in Turkey staged an armed insurgency that stabbed the embattled
Ottoman Empire in the back.
In 1915, the ruling party Committee of Union and Progress approved a
law that ordered the deportation of a part of the ethnic Armenians in
the then-empire. Armenia and the Armenian diaspora claim that nothing
short of genocide occurred under this order, but Turkey says that
both Turks and Armenians died during clashes between Ottoman forces
and armed Armenian groups backed by Russia.
Turkey's foreign minister also said relations between Armenia and
Turkey needed a normalization, which would improve bilateral political
relations, help establish peace among the two countries' peoples and
fix Armenia-Azerbaijan relations in Caucasia.
"Now Turkey has the right to expect Armenians to offer their
condolences to Turkey for the murders committed by ASALA against
Turkish diplomats, to avoid one-sidedness," he added.
Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) is a
far-left terrorist organization that targeted Turkish diplomats and
officials serving abroad. The organization killed 53 Turks including
diplomats and their families during 1970s and 1980s.
From: A. Papazian
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 24 2014
Ankara (AA) -Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey
extended its hand to Armenia with Prime Minister Erdogan's latest
statement that offered condolences to the Armenians who lost their
lives during the 1915 events.
"This is a call to build a consensus on history," Davutoglu told
private broadcaster NTV. "Our Prime Minister extended Turkey's hand
to Armenia to get our minds and hearts closer. If it gets an answer,
then we can build a future together. If not, we will go back to the
former discourses."
On Wednesday, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan released
a statement in nine languages, including Armenian, in which he termed
the events of 1915 as "inhumane."
"Regardless of their ethnic or religious origins, we pay tribute with
compassion and respect to all Ottoman citizens who lost their lives
in the events of 1915," the statement said.
Davutoglu hailed the statement, saying it accomplished its goal
considering the reactions worldwide. "It demonstrates a just and
humane stance and gives the idea to build a future together."
He said a transformation in Turkey-Armenia relations could be achieved
if politicians were brave enough to change political discourses. "This
is what Mr Prime Minister did."
Davutoglu also reiterated Turkey's calls for academic research of the
1915 events to be carried out by a commission of Turkish, Armenian
and international historians.
"If we can agree on the method to discuss the events, then we can
build a future together," he said.
Aided by the invading Russian army during the First World War, Armenian
gangs in Turkey staged an armed insurgency that stabbed the embattled
Ottoman Empire in the back.
In 1915, the ruling party Committee of Union and Progress approved a
law that ordered the deportation of a part of the ethnic Armenians in
the then-empire. Armenia and the Armenian diaspora claim that nothing
short of genocide occurred under this order, but Turkey says that
both Turks and Armenians died during clashes between Ottoman forces
and armed Armenian groups backed by Russia.
Turkey's foreign minister also said relations between Armenia and
Turkey needed a normalization, which would improve bilateral political
relations, help establish peace among the two countries' peoples and
fix Armenia-Azerbaijan relations in Caucasia.
"Now Turkey has the right to expect Armenians to offer their
condolences to Turkey for the murders committed by ASALA against
Turkish diplomats, to avoid one-sidedness," he added.
Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) is a
far-left terrorist organization that targeted Turkish diplomats and
officials serving abroad. The organization killed 53 Turks including
diplomats and their families during 1970s and 1980s.
From: A. Papazian