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PRESIDENT ERDOGAN SAYS 100,000 ARMENIANS ENJOY LIFE IN TURKEY, RECALLS RIGHTS GIVEN
Daily Sabah, Turkey
April 15 2015
AYÅ~^E Å~^AHIN
ISTANBUL
President Erdogan responded to pressure on Turkey for not defining
the 1915 incidents as genocide with indifference, saying the matter
became overly politicized. He also said there are currently 100,000
Armenians living under good conditions in Turkey
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday rejected any possibility
of Turkey caving in to pressure over Armenian and Western efforts
to label the 1915 incidents - which Turkey describes as a mass
forced deportation of Armenians to Anatolia during World War I -
as "genocide," given their highly political causes. Erdogan said
since Turkey hosts nearly 100,000 Armenian nationals in peace and
provides them with scores of opportunities, there is no grounds for
it to be exposed to such pressure. As the Armenian diaspora ratchets
up pressure on Western countries to label the 1915 incidents as
"genocide," experts believe the recognition of the incidents as
a genocide will bring no gains in terms of ameliorating sour ties
with Armenia. Turkey has suggested various solutions to resolving
the definition problem, which has purportedly become a political
tool exploited by the diaspora, by unveiling its historical archival
resources to shed light on the matter, which is often appraised in a
biased and one-sided manner. Referring to the European Parliament (EP),
which is to vote on a draft resolution that recognizes the incidents
as genocide, Erdogan said he will receive it with indifference since
he is confident on how well the nearly "100,000 Armenians" are treated
in Turkey.
Erdogan firmly rejects the definition of the 1915 incidents as
"genocide," and deems the attempts of Armenians to label them as such
to be trivial so long as Turkey is hosting 100,000 Armenian citizens
and non-citizens by reinstating their rights, which have been taken
from them since the founding of the Republic. Ankara has already put
into practice policies like the returning of confiscated properties,
the assigning of bureaucrats of Armenian origin and bringing life back
to their places of worship as part of its democracy initiatives. These
policies undermine the efforts of the Armenian diaspora, Armenia and
other Western countries, however, which have taken the 1915 issue to
their parliaments with the aim of isolating Turkey.
On Wednesday, the EP issued a draft resolution urging EU member
states to recognize the events in Armenia and Ottoman territories
in 1915. In response to the move, Erdogan said: "I don't know what
decision they have made or will make, but there is something that I
know: Why our nation or the media acts so defensively over the matter,
which is hard for me to understand. I don't have any concern to defend
[Turkey] as the President," Erdogan said, confident that the genocide
accusations levied at Turkey had not been committed by his ancestors.
He added: "I have nearly 100,000 Armenians in my country. Has there
been any wrongdoing to our Armenian citizens, or ill treatment? We
have been hosting those who are using every opportunity provided to
them by our country [with content]."
The government has been exerting major efforts to normalize the
conditions for minorities, which includes Armenians, by giving back
their rights and doing away with discrimination they have long faced
after decades of apathy. Within the context of reforms toward different
faith groups in Turkey, 1,014 confiscated foundation properties have
been returned and more have been promised.
Recalling that the expenses of the restoration and renovation works
of the Armenian Orthodox church on the island of Akdamar in Van Lake
were paid for with state funds, Erdogan said that Divine Liturgies
are currently being celebrated at the church. He also said that such
similar demands were being responded to by the state and added that it
was "so wrong" to show such an attitude to Turkey despite such favors.
"I do not know what kind of a resolution the European Parliament will
adopt, but for Turkey, it will surely go in one ear and out the other,"
Erdogan was also quoted as saying before he departed for his two-day
visit to Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
Turkish officials have been exerting considerable efforts to improve
relations with Armenia. Erdogan also made an attempt to thaw tensions
between the two countries by issuing a message ahead of the 99th annual
commemoration of the 1915 incidents last year. In an unprecedented
move, while he was prime minister, Erdogan extended condolences to
the grandchildren of Armenians who lost their lives in the 1915 events.
However, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, in a purported refusal to
reconcile with Turkey, said he had withdrawn the peace accords with
Turkey from parliament. The two countries' then foreign ministers,
Ahmet Davutoglu and Eduard Nalbandyan, had signed protocols to
establish diplomatic ties between their respective countries in 2009
in Switzerland. Mediated by the U.S., the protocol had presupposed
the opening of the border between Turkey and Armenia, but it failed
to be ratified.
Following the incident, Erdogan complained that Armenia had failed to
reciprocate Turkish peace efforts, but said that Ankara will still
pursue a settlement with Armenia. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju
Bilgic also said: "Turkey will remain committed to the normalization
process it pursues as the main purpose of the protocols."
The official government stance on the claims of genocide is that it
acknowledges that a tragedy occurred with great suffering on the
part of the Armenians, but that Muslim Turks also suffered during
the event. They have repeatedly called on Armenia to check unbiased
historical sources to bring the matter to light.
http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2015/04/15/president-erdogan-says-100000-armenians-enjoy-life-in-turkey-recalls-rights-given
Daily Sabah, Turkey
April 15 2015
AYÅ~^E Å~^AHIN
ISTANBUL
President Erdogan responded to pressure on Turkey for not defining
the 1915 incidents as genocide with indifference, saying the matter
became overly politicized. He also said there are currently 100,000
Armenians living under good conditions in Turkey
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday rejected any possibility
of Turkey caving in to pressure over Armenian and Western efforts
to label the 1915 incidents - which Turkey describes as a mass
forced deportation of Armenians to Anatolia during World War I -
as "genocide," given their highly political causes. Erdogan said
since Turkey hosts nearly 100,000 Armenian nationals in peace and
provides them with scores of opportunities, there is no grounds for
it to be exposed to such pressure. As the Armenian diaspora ratchets
up pressure on Western countries to label the 1915 incidents as
"genocide," experts believe the recognition of the incidents as
a genocide will bring no gains in terms of ameliorating sour ties
with Armenia. Turkey has suggested various solutions to resolving
the definition problem, which has purportedly become a political
tool exploited by the diaspora, by unveiling its historical archival
resources to shed light on the matter, which is often appraised in a
biased and one-sided manner. Referring to the European Parliament (EP),
which is to vote on a draft resolution that recognizes the incidents
as genocide, Erdogan said he will receive it with indifference since
he is confident on how well the nearly "100,000 Armenians" are treated
in Turkey.
Erdogan firmly rejects the definition of the 1915 incidents as
"genocide," and deems the attempts of Armenians to label them as such
to be trivial so long as Turkey is hosting 100,000 Armenian citizens
and non-citizens by reinstating their rights, which have been taken
from them since the founding of the Republic. Ankara has already put
into practice policies like the returning of confiscated properties,
the assigning of bureaucrats of Armenian origin and bringing life back
to their places of worship as part of its democracy initiatives. These
policies undermine the efforts of the Armenian diaspora, Armenia and
other Western countries, however, which have taken the 1915 issue to
their parliaments with the aim of isolating Turkey.
On Wednesday, the EP issued a draft resolution urging EU member
states to recognize the events in Armenia and Ottoman territories
in 1915. In response to the move, Erdogan said: "I don't know what
decision they have made or will make, but there is something that I
know: Why our nation or the media acts so defensively over the matter,
which is hard for me to understand. I don't have any concern to defend
[Turkey] as the President," Erdogan said, confident that the genocide
accusations levied at Turkey had not been committed by his ancestors.
He added: "I have nearly 100,000 Armenians in my country. Has there
been any wrongdoing to our Armenian citizens, or ill treatment? We
have been hosting those who are using every opportunity provided to
them by our country [with content]."
The government has been exerting major efforts to normalize the
conditions for minorities, which includes Armenians, by giving back
their rights and doing away with discrimination they have long faced
after decades of apathy. Within the context of reforms toward different
faith groups in Turkey, 1,014 confiscated foundation properties have
been returned and more have been promised.
Recalling that the expenses of the restoration and renovation works
of the Armenian Orthodox church on the island of Akdamar in Van Lake
were paid for with state funds, Erdogan said that Divine Liturgies
are currently being celebrated at the church. He also said that such
similar demands were being responded to by the state and added that it
was "so wrong" to show such an attitude to Turkey despite such favors.
"I do not know what kind of a resolution the European Parliament will
adopt, but for Turkey, it will surely go in one ear and out the other,"
Erdogan was also quoted as saying before he departed for his two-day
visit to Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
Turkish officials have been exerting considerable efforts to improve
relations with Armenia. Erdogan also made an attempt to thaw tensions
between the two countries by issuing a message ahead of the 99th annual
commemoration of the 1915 incidents last year. In an unprecedented
move, while he was prime minister, Erdogan extended condolences to
the grandchildren of Armenians who lost their lives in the 1915 events.
However, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, in a purported refusal to
reconcile with Turkey, said he had withdrawn the peace accords with
Turkey from parliament. The two countries' then foreign ministers,
Ahmet Davutoglu and Eduard Nalbandyan, had signed protocols to
establish diplomatic ties between their respective countries in 2009
in Switzerland. Mediated by the U.S., the protocol had presupposed
the opening of the border between Turkey and Armenia, but it failed
to be ratified.
Following the incident, Erdogan complained that Armenia had failed to
reciprocate Turkish peace efforts, but said that Ankara will still
pursue a settlement with Armenia. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju
Bilgic also said: "Turkey will remain committed to the normalization
process it pursues as the main purpose of the protocols."
The official government stance on the claims of genocide is that it
acknowledges that a tragedy occurred with great suffering on the
part of the Armenians, but that Muslim Turks also suffered during
the event. They have repeatedly called on Armenia to check unbiased
historical sources to bring the matter to light.
http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2015/04/15/president-erdogan-says-100000-armenians-enjoy-life-in-turkey-recalls-rights-given