Turkish PM dismisses Armenian genocide claims as “lies”

TRT 1 television, Ankara
13 Apr 05

[News presenter] Referring to the so-called Armenian genocide
allegations, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that no one has
the power to fill Turkey’s history with lies. Stating that on the
international arena certain issues are repeatedly being placed before
Turkey like a tedious dish of pilaff, Erdogan said that the Republic
of Turkey won its independence with its life and blood.

[TRT-1 offscreen reporter] Assessing the so-called genocide claims at
his party’s group meeting, Prime Minister Erdogan stressed that Turkey
has a history that would not cause it any complex. Erdogan said that
they have no problems with any episode in the history of this nation.

[Erdogan] We are not going to ignore or turn a deaf ear to any of
those pages. We are also convinced that we have no shame to forget or
conceal [applause]. Let me state clearly that all the historic
documents in the possession of Turkey are at the disposal of those who
seek historical truth. We have no reservations on this issue; we have
no shortcoming. However, if there are still those who read history
with prejudice and entertain designs, let them forgive us – we are not
in a position to take them seriously. This is because medical science
has not yet found a cure for eyes which do not want to see history.

[TRT-1 offscreen reporter] Erdogan called on those who now and then
place before Turkey certain documents – which he described as scribble
papers – first to review their own history and exonerate their
sincerity.

[Erdogan] No one will have the power either to deny the Turkish
history or fill it up with lies. It is impossible for them to do such
a thing. No interest can be powerful enough to tarnish this nation’s
honourable journey of civilization.