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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
March 14 2015
Turkey slams European Parliament's call to recognize `Armenian genocide'
ANKARA
Turkish Foreign Ministry on March 14 slammed the human rights report
adopted by the European Parliament, saying that the report lacked
historical reality and legal basis.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgiç said in a written statement
that the report interpreted the event with a one-sided approach and
disregarded Turkey's realistic and constructive initiatives relating
to the matter.
The European Parliament adopted on March 12 the Annual Report on Human
Rights and Democracy in the World in 2013.
Article 77 of the report called "ahead of the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, on all the member states to legally acknowledge it,
and encourages the member states and the EU institutions to contribute
further to its recognition."
"We find the statements remarkably problematic in every aspect and
regret them," Bilgiç said, adding that the report also raised
"illogical and unlawful" demands.
"These steps, which were taken by those who do not know this
historical event, damage Turkey-EU relations and make it difficult for
Turks and Armenians to build their future together," said Bilgiç.
He added that, "We expect our European partners not to deepen the
problem further, but rather to find constructive contributions to the
solution and encourage the Armenian side towards dialogue and
reconciliation."
Armenia says up to 1.5 million Ottoman Armenians were killed in a
genocide starting in 1915. Turkey denies that the deaths amounted to
genocide, saying the death toll of Armenians killed during mass
deportations has been inflated and that those killed in 1915 and 1916
were victims of general unrest during World War I.
The latest report is approved by a majority of votes at the European
Parliament, which had recognized the events as genocide in 1987.
Around 20 countries have taken a similar position on the issue so far.
The center-right European People's Party (EPP) and far-rightists,
including the French politician Marine Le Pen, have recently been
calling on member states to recognize the 1915 events as genocide.
In January, the Turkish president sent invitation letters to more than
100 leaders, including Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, to
participate in ceremonies on April 24 marking the centenary of the
Battle of Gallipoli in Çanakkale. The ceremonies in Çanakkale were
rearranged this year to coincide with Armenia's traditional day of
remembrance for the Armenian victims of 1915.
Sargsyan reportedly denounced ErdoÄ?an's invitation as a
`short-sighted' attempt to overshadow the 100th anniversary the 1915
events.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-slams-european-parliaments-call-to-recognize-armenian-genocide.aspx?PageID=238&NID=79678&NewsCatID=510
March 14 2015
Turkey slams European Parliament's call to recognize `Armenian genocide'
ANKARA
Turkish Foreign Ministry on March 14 slammed the human rights report
adopted by the European Parliament, saying that the report lacked
historical reality and legal basis.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgiç said in a written statement
that the report interpreted the event with a one-sided approach and
disregarded Turkey's realistic and constructive initiatives relating
to the matter.
The European Parliament adopted on March 12 the Annual Report on Human
Rights and Democracy in the World in 2013.
Article 77 of the report called "ahead of the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, on all the member states to legally acknowledge it,
and encourages the member states and the EU institutions to contribute
further to its recognition."
"We find the statements remarkably problematic in every aspect and
regret them," Bilgiç said, adding that the report also raised
"illogical and unlawful" demands.
"These steps, which were taken by those who do not know this
historical event, damage Turkey-EU relations and make it difficult for
Turks and Armenians to build their future together," said Bilgiç.
He added that, "We expect our European partners not to deepen the
problem further, but rather to find constructive contributions to the
solution and encourage the Armenian side towards dialogue and
reconciliation."
Armenia says up to 1.5 million Ottoman Armenians were killed in a
genocide starting in 1915. Turkey denies that the deaths amounted to
genocide, saying the death toll of Armenians killed during mass
deportations has been inflated and that those killed in 1915 and 1916
were victims of general unrest during World War I.
The latest report is approved by a majority of votes at the European
Parliament, which had recognized the events as genocide in 1987.
Around 20 countries have taken a similar position on the issue so far.
The center-right European People's Party (EPP) and far-rightists,
including the French politician Marine Le Pen, have recently been
calling on member states to recognize the 1915 events as genocide.
In January, the Turkish president sent invitation letters to more than
100 leaders, including Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, to
participate in ceremonies on April 24 marking the centenary of the
Battle of Gallipoli in Çanakkale. The ceremonies in Çanakkale were
rearranged this year to coincide with Armenia's traditional day of
remembrance for the Armenian victims of 1915.
Sargsyan reportedly denounced ErdoÄ?an's invitation as a
`short-sighted' attempt to overshadow the 100th anniversary the 1915
events.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-slams-european-parliaments-call-to-recognize-armenian-genocide.aspx?PageID=238&NID=79678&NewsCatID=510