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Associated Press International
April 29, 2014 Tuesday 3:34 PM GMT
Turkey: Ready to 'confront' killings of Armenians
by SUZAN FRASER, Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
Tuesday his nation was ready to "confront" the nation's history of
killing ethnic Armenians nearly a century ago, but stopped short of
admitting it was genocide.
In a weekly speech in Parliament addressing his ruling party's
legislators, Erdogan reiterated a call for Armenia and Armenians
living abroad to participate in research with Turkey to document
precisely what happened.
In the same speech, Erdogan also criticized German President Joachim
Gauck, who raised human rights concerns during his visit to Turkey
this week.
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey however,
denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been
inflated, and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.
"We are saying, let's wipe away the tears, push prejudices to one
side, and reveal historic truths ... in an objective manner," Erdogan
said.
"I hope that Armenia and the Armenian diaspora recognize our
courageous step and reciprocate in the same courageous manner," he
said.
Last week Erdogan issued condolences to descendants of Armenians
killed. A prominent American-Armenian group rejected that message,
demanding that Turkey admit that genocide happened.
Erdogan also rejected criticism of Turkey's human rights record by the
visiting German president, saying Germany should save comments for its
own domestic troubles, such as racist attacks on Turks in Germany.
"We cannot tolerate meddling in our country's internal affairs,"
Erdogan said, the day after Gauck, who is ending a three-day visit,
questioned Turkey's crackdown on freedoms.
Erdogan said Gauck - a former Lutheran priest who opposed the former
East Germany's communist regime - was acting like a pastor instead of
a statesman.
From: A. Papazian
April 29, 2014 Tuesday 3:34 PM GMT
Turkey: Ready to 'confront' killings of Armenians
by SUZAN FRASER, Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
Tuesday his nation was ready to "confront" the nation's history of
killing ethnic Armenians nearly a century ago, but stopped short of
admitting it was genocide.
In a weekly speech in Parliament addressing his ruling party's
legislators, Erdogan reiterated a call for Armenia and Armenians
living abroad to participate in research with Turkey to document
precisely what happened.
In the same speech, Erdogan also criticized German President Joachim
Gauck, who raised human rights concerns during his visit to Turkey
this week.
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey however,
denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been
inflated, and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.
"We are saying, let's wipe away the tears, push prejudices to one
side, and reveal historic truths ... in an objective manner," Erdogan
said.
"I hope that Armenia and the Armenian diaspora recognize our
courageous step and reciprocate in the same courageous manner," he
said.
Last week Erdogan issued condolences to descendants of Armenians
killed. A prominent American-Armenian group rejected that message,
demanding that Turkey admit that genocide happened.
Erdogan also rejected criticism of Turkey's human rights record by the
visiting German president, saying Germany should save comments for its
own domestic troubles, such as racist attacks on Turks in Germany.
"We cannot tolerate meddling in our country's internal affairs,"
Erdogan said, the day after Gauck, who is ending a three-day visit,
questioned Turkey's crackdown on freedoms.
Erdogan said Gauck - a former Lutheran priest who opposed the former
East Germany's communist regime - was acting like a pastor instead of
a statesman.
From: A. Papazian