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  • ANKARA: Turkey's PM Davutoglu Extends Condolences To Descendants Of

    TURKEY'S PM DAVUTOGLU EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO DESCENDANTS OF DECEASED ARMENIANS

    Daily Sabah, Turkey
    April 20 2015

    DAILY SABAH WITH ANADOLU AGENCY
    ISTANBUL

    Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has expressed his condolences to
    the grandchildren of Armenians who lost their lives during forced
    deportations from Anatolia in WW I in a statement issued four days
    before the annual commemoration of the events. In his message,
    Davutoglu said that Turkey will honor the deceased Armenians in a
    ceremony that will be held on April 24 at the Armenian Patriarchate in
    Istanbul. The ceremony is significant, as it is the first of its kind
    that Turkey has held to mark the 1915 incidents. The move is also a
    reflection of the genuine will of the government to ameliorate ties
    with Armenians that have been soured by the constant pressure of the
    community to brand the events as genocide and Turkey's rejection of
    the label.

    "As descendants of nations with different ethnic and religious
    origins who endured these sufferings amid the conditions of WWI,
    we understand what the Armenians feel. We remember with respect the
    innocent Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives and offer our deep
    condolences to their descendants.

    It is both a historical and humane duty for Turkey to uphold the memory
    of Ottoman Armenians and Armenian cultural heritage," Davutoglu said
    in his message.

    He continued: "With this in mind, a religious ceremony will be held by
    the Armenian Patriarchate on April 24 this year and Ottoman Armenians
    will be remembered in Turkey, just as they will be across the world."

    He also underlined how meaningful it would be "if Turkey and Armenia
    had been able to commemorate Ottoman Armenians together with a ceremony
    that befits both nations," recalling it was what President Recep Tayyip
    Erdogan also said in last year's message when he was prime minister.

    Erdogan issued a message ahead of the 99th year commemoration of the
    1915 incidents last year. In an unprecedented move, Erdogan extended
    his condolences to the grandchildren of Ottoman Armenians who lost
    their lives in the 1915 events.

    Meanwhile, EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Volkan Bozkır, Foreign
    Minister Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu and Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc
    spoke about the issue. CavuÅ~_oglu said Turkey will not give up its
    efforts to reconcile with Armenians. Bozkır said Turkey is happy
    living with Armenians and the issue should not be restricted within
    the definition of genocide. Arınc gave a brief press statement on
    Monday, where he said: "We are the protector of oppressed nations,
    we never betrayed them. We know that there were tragic events that
    the rebellious gangs who were once considered loyal nations had to
    face. We did not commit genocide on purpose or by will."

    Turkey's official stance on the matter is that it does not deny that
    there were killings of Armenians during the forced deportation of
    the community in WWI, which was a decision delivered by the Ottoman
    government to handle the insurrection. However, they firmly deny
    that the killings amount to genocide, and claim there was a lack of
    intention to deliberately destroy the community. Turkey also claims
    there were losses on both sides, and rules out any discrimination
    against Turks in appraising the events. Despite pressure to implicate
    Turkey in the highly serious crime of genocide, Turkey maintains its
    sympathy for the community and makes efforts to heal its wounds.

    "It is possible to establish the causes of what happened in WWI
    and those who were responsible for it. However, laying all the
    blame through generalizations on the Turkish nation by reducing
    everything to one word and compounding it with hate speech is both
    morally and legally problematic," Davutoglu said. He also added:
    "We believe that when history is no longer exploited for political
    purposes, such a mature and morally sound outcome can be attained,"
    and called for an objective way of looking at things.

    He also said: "The scars left by the exile and massacres that Turkish
    and Muslim Ottomans were subjected to a century ago are still vivid
    in our minds today. To ignore this fact and discriminate between pains
    suffered is as questionable historically as it is mistaken morally."

    Turkey, the successor of the Ottoman Empire, which is held responsible
    for the killings, has been facing intense pressure from the Armenian
    diaspora which has politicized the issue ahead of the incidents'
    centennial commemoration, possibly, as some historians have argued,
    to acquire reparations. Turkish officials have repeatedly called
    for the issue to be analyzed by historians and have warned that
    politicizing such a sensitive matter harms the community itself.

    Davutoglu said: "In Turkey, every viewpoint is freely expressed
    and openly debated. Documents and knowledge of every kind can be
    investigated. By providing these means, Turkey is taking significant
    and positive steps toward the building of a common future. As
    descendants of two ancient peoples who 100 years ago shared the same
    destiny, whether in joy or in sorrow, our common responsibility and
    calling today is to heal century-old wounds and re-establish our
    human ties once again. Turkey will not remain indifferent to this
    responsibility, and will continue to do its utmost for friendship
    and peace."

    Ankara has already put into practice policies like the returning
    of confiscated property, the assigning of bureaucrats of Armenian
    origin and bringing life back to their places of worship as part of
    its democracy initiatives. But these policies undermine the efforts of
    the Armenian diaspora, Armenia and Western countries, which have taken
    the 1915 issue to their parliaments with the aim of isolating Turkey.

    He concluded his statement by saying: "We are calling on all third
    parties to adopt an approach based on just memory and a common peaceful
    future, rather than aggravating age-old wounds. It is with these
    feelings and thoughts that we once more commemorate with deep respect
    the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives during the relocations in
    1915, and we share in the grief of their children and grandchildren."

    http://www.dailysabah.com/diplomacy/2015/04/20/turkeys-pm-davutoglu-extends-condolences-to-descendants-of-deceased-armenians

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