NTV MSNBC, Turkey
April 22 2004
Canada incurs Turkey’s ire
Though the vote of the Canadian parliament was non-binding, it has
angered Ankara.
April 22 – Turkey has slammed a decision of Canada’s parliament to
recognise the so-called Armenian genocide of 1915 to 1923, saying it
could only inspire hatred.
A statement issued by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry Thursday, a day
after the Canadian parliament voted to condemn the alleged killing of
Armenians by forces of the Ottoman Empire, said those who had backed
the motion were narrow minded.
Canadian legislators had blindly followed those with marginal
views, the Foreign Ministry statement said.
`Some narrow minded Canadian politicians were not able to
understand that such decisions based on … prejudiced information,
will awaken feelings of hatred among people of different [ethnic]
roots and disturb social harmony,’ the statement said.
Turkey maintained its position that it was not up to
parliaments to reach conclusions over controversial periods in
history, the Ministry said, adding that the vote would not benefit
Armenians in Canada or Armenia.