Turkish FM Gul blames imperialist circles for the Armenian issue

Hurriyet, Turkey
March 23 2005

Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul spoke
openly about the so-called Armenian genocide, Tuesday, stating,
“Genocide is to eradicate traces of any ethnic or religious group.
Why then do Armenian churches still exist in Turkey? And why then do
we have Armenians here?”

Gul said that it was the minority of Armenians living in Europe and the
U.S. who were causing the issue to escalate. “It is the imperialist
circles and chauvinist Armenian nationalists who have created this
problem. They do it to hold onto their power.”

Gul also said that the Armenians living abroad have very good
lifestyles and don’t go home to Armenia to help their brothers.

The Turkish government have called for a historical study of what
happened, requesting that all documents and archives be examined by
experts, to find some closure on the issue. ” The archives in Lenin,
Britain, Paris and Armenia should be opened,” Gul added.

The Turkish government stands by its convictions that the genocide
happened on both sides, to both Armenians and Turks: “Armenians and
Turkish people lived together for thousands of years, contributing
to each others’ culture and security.”

(Hurriyet)