Tweet
TURKEY DOESN'T BELIEVE ARMENIANS WOULD REJECT CLAIMS ON 1915 EVENTS
Trend Daily News (Azerbaijan)
March 17, 2015 Tuesday 6:33 PM GMT +4
Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey doesn't believe that the Armenians will this year abandon claims
with regard to the 1915 events, Turkey's Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Ismail Alper Coskun said in an interview with Trend.
He said Armenia, taking advantage of that this year marks the 100th
anniversary of the 1915 events, intends to show itself as a victims
of those events, and makes every effort to achieve the adoption of
political decisions against Turkey by the world's countries.
"Therefore, Turkey doesn't believe that the Armenians will this
year abandon their claims in connection with the 1915 events," the
diplomat said.
The fact that Azerbaijani territories are occupied by Armenia is the
problem of Turkey as well, he added.
"The bilateral relations of Azerbaijan and Turkey have intensified at
international level," the ambassador added. "The two countries are
represented in many international structures, and we are witnessing
that active steps are being taken for development of their bilateral
relations."
Aside from that, he said, the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora abroad
work more actively.
Coskun said Azerbaijan and Turkey are jointly fighting the Armenian
propaganda about the 1915 events - a fight that is to cover not only
the current year.
"The Turkic world has a common history, and we are trying to protect
it," he said. "To do so, we must first familiarize our youth,
the future generations with this history. On the other hand, it is
necessary to identify and focus on common values."
This activity aims to prevent attempts of Armenia and the Armenian
lobby to denigrate the history of the Turkic world, according to
the diplomat.
"Of course, the most important thing is to tell the world about the
bloody events in recent history, the most important of which is the
Khojaly genocide," said Alper Coskun. "And cooperation between Turkey
and Azerbaijan in this direction is expanding."
He said that in this regard, Armenia should focus on statements by
the former Prime Minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
made last year.
"With this speech, Turkey reached out a helping hand to Armenia and
Armenian people, invited them to enter into discussions, listen and
try to understand each other," he said. "However, the reaction of
Armenia showed that it would continue to pursue its unilateral claims
in the future as well and speak from the position of the enemy."
The Armenian people must see the true state of affairs and put pressure
on the government of the country, according to the diplomat.
"Turkey does not recognize the one-sided view of Armenia on the events
of 1915," he said. "From the legal, political and historical point
of view, the intentions of Armenia are unacceptable."
"While using the events of 1915 in its own interests and trying
to achieve making political decisions by the parliaments of some
countries, Armenia is trying to put Turkey in a difficult position,"
he said.
"But this is impossible as the Armenians' claims have no scientific,
historical or legal basis," the ambassador said.
The ambassador said that it is necessary to have an appropriate
decision of the international court to prove the fact of genocide.
"On the other hand, according to the UN Convention "On prevention
and punishment of the crime of genocide", the term "genocide" refers
to 1948," the diplomat said. "This term can not be applied to the
previous events. This is the legal side of the issue."
"Moreover, from the political and historical points of view, it is
impossible to use the claims about the so-called genocide against
Turkey," he said.
"Armenia tries to use the unfounded decisions taken by the parliaments
of some countries on the basis of unilateral claims against Turkey,"
he said. "The attempts of denigrating our common history are completely
unacceptable. On the other hand, Armenia's claims are also groundless
from the historical point of view."
The diplomat said that the accuracy of many sources, cited by the
Armenians, raises great doubts and some of them are fictitious.
He said that Turkey offers Armenia to give any facts, if they exist,
and to consider this issue.
"It is impossible to forget the pain and anguish the nations in
Anatolia faced that time, as well as the atrocities committed by
Armenians against them," said the ambassador.
The diplomat added that if Armenia is ready to discuss all this and
build a common future, Turkey is ready for the rapprochement between
the peoples of the two countries.
"But we don't forget about the fact of occupation of Azerbaijani
lands as well," said Coskun. "For the rapprochement of the peoples
[Turkey and Armenia], it is necessary to put an end to the occupation
of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia."
Diplomat added that the protocols signed with Armenia pursued these
goals.
"Armenia has no a political will for the settlement of the conflict,"
said the ambassador. "Meanwhile, there is no even a hint that Armenia
will back down from its aggressive policy."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in
1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently
holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Coskun added that it is clear in which demographic and economic
situation did Armenia find itself. "Armenian people can look around,
see Azerbaijan's development, the cooperation between Azerbaijan,
Turkey and Georgia and think over the reasons of its isolation from
this development."
The diplomat added that if fair attitude to the 1915 events is
ensured, Turkey will be ready to discuss any issue with Armenia and
with other countries.
"Turkey is confident in itself," said Alper Coskun. "As our country's
president said, if we have made a mistake, we are ready to discuss it.
Hopefully, common sense will prevail in Armenia one day."
Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey's predecessor, the
Ottoman Empire allegedly carried out "genocide" against the Armenians
living in Anatolia in 1915. Turkey in turn has always denied "the
genocide" took place.
While strengthening the efforts to promote the "genocide" in the
world, Armenians have achieved its recognition by the parliaments of
some countries.
Festive events dedicated to the Canakkale Victory will be held in
Turkey on April 24. Heads of over 50 countries will take part in
these events.
Edited by CN
Trend Daily News (Azerbaijan)
March 17, 2015 Tuesday 6:33 PM GMT +4
Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey doesn't believe that the Armenians will this year abandon claims
with regard to the 1915 events, Turkey's Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Ismail Alper Coskun said in an interview with Trend.
He said Armenia, taking advantage of that this year marks the 100th
anniversary of the 1915 events, intends to show itself as a victims
of those events, and makes every effort to achieve the adoption of
political decisions against Turkey by the world's countries.
"Therefore, Turkey doesn't believe that the Armenians will this
year abandon their claims in connection with the 1915 events," the
diplomat said.
The fact that Azerbaijani territories are occupied by Armenia is the
problem of Turkey as well, he added.
"The bilateral relations of Azerbaijan and Turkey have intensified at
international level," the ambassador added. "The two countries are
represented in many international structures, and we are witnessing
that active steps are being taken for development of their bilateral
relations."
Aside from that, he said, the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora abroad
work more actively.
Coskun said Azerbaijan and Turkey are jointly fighting the Armenian
propaganda about the 1915 events - a fight that is to cover not only
the current year.
"The Turkic world has a common history, and we are trying to protect
it," he said. "To do so, we must first familiarize our youth,
the future generations with this history. On the other hand, it is
necessary to identify and focus on common values."
This activity aims to prevent attempts of Armenia and the Armenian
lobby to denigrate the history of the Turkic world, according to
the diplomat.
"Of course, the most important thing is to tell the world about the
bloody events in recent history, the most important of which is the
Khojaly genocide," said Alper Coskun. "And cooperation between Turkey
and Azerbaijan in this direction is expanding."
He said that in this regard, Armenia should focus on statements by
the former Prime Minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
made last year.
"With this speech, Turkey reached out a helping hand to Armenia and
Armenian people, invited them to enter into discussions, listen and
try to understand each other," he said. "However, the reaction of
Armenia showed that it would continue to pursue its unilateral claims
in the future as well and speak from the position of the enemy."
The Armenian people must see the true state of affairs and put pressure
on the government of the country, according to the diplomat.
"Turkey does not recognize the one-sided view of Armenia on the events
of 1915," he said. "From the legal, political and historical point
of view, the intentions of Armenia are unacceptable."
"While using the events of 1915 in its own interests and trying
to achieve making political decisions by the parliaments of some
countries, Armenia is trying to put Turkey in a difficult position,"
he said.
"But this is impossible as the Armenians' claims have no scientific,
historical or legal basis," the ambassador said.
The ambassador said that it is necessary to have an appropriate
decision of the international court to prove the fact of genocide.
"On the other hand, according to the UN Convention "On prevention
and punishment of the crime of genocide", the term "genocide" refers
to 1948," the diplomat said. "This term can not be applied to the
previous events. This is the legal side of the issue."
"Moreover, from the political and historical points of view, it is
impossible to use the claims about the so-called genocide against
Turkey," he said.
"Armenia tries to use the unfounded decisions taken by the parliaments
of some countries on the basis of unilateral claims against Turkey,"
he said. "The attempts of denigrating our common history are completely
unacceptable. On the other hand, Armenia's claims are also groundless
from the historical point of view."
The diplomat said that the accuracy of many sources, cited by the
Armenians, raises great doubts and some of them are fictitious.
He said that Turkey offers Armenia to give any facts, if they exist,
and to consider this issue.
"It is impossible to forget the pain and anguish the nations in
Anatolia faced that time, as well as the atrocities committed by
Armenians against them," said the ambassador.
The diplomat added that if Armenia is ready to discuss all this and
build a common future, Turkey is ready for the rapprochement between
the peoples of the two countries.
"But we don't forget about the fact of occupation of Azerbaijani
lands as well," said Coskun. "For the rapprochement of the peoples
[Turkey and Armenia], it is necessary to put an end to the occupation
of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia."
Diplomat added that the protocols signed with Armenia pursued these
goals.
"Armenia has no a political will for the settlement of the conflict,"
said the ambassador. "Meanwhile, there is no even a hint that Armenia
will back down from its aggressive policy."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in
1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently
holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Coskun added that it is clear in which demographic and economic
situation did Armenia find itself. "Armenian people can look around,
see Azerbaijan's development, the cooperation between Azerbaijan,
Turkey and Georgia and think over the reasons of its isolation from
this development."
The diplomat added that if fair attitude to the 1915 events is
ensured, Turkey will be ready to discuss any issue with Armenia and
with other countries.
"Turkey is confident in itself," said Alper Coskun. "As our country's
president said, if we have made a mistake, we are ready to discuss it.
Hopefully, common sense will prevail in Armenia one day."
Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey's predecessor, the
Ottoman Empire allegedly carried out "genocide" against the Armenians
living in Anatolia in 1915. Turkey in turn has always denied "the
genocide" took place.
While strengthening the efforts to promote the "genocide" in the
world, Armenians have achieved its recognition by the parliaments of
some countries.
Festive events dedicated to the Canakkale Victory will be held in
Turkey on April 24. Heads of over 50 countries will take part in
these events.
Edited by CN