Turkish Press
April 25 2005

Irtemcelik: Armenians Know That There Was No Genocide

BY FIKRET BILA

MILLIYET- A bill on the Armenian `genocide’ issue will be voted on
Germany’s Parliament after Prime Minister Gerhard Schroeder’s visit
to Ankara next week. German parties have already agreed to replace
the word `genocide’ mentioned in the bill with `emigration and mass
murder.’ The bill is expected to pass after these changes have been
made.

Turkish Ambassador to Germany Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik has long been
working to inform the German Parliament and the public on what really
happened. `The Armenians know there was no genocide,’ said
Irtemcelik. `But they have ruined our ability to make our voice heard
in the international arena. Since their claims are untrue, they
reject our offer to assemble a group of historians from both sides to
investigate the issue. Their first aim is to make Turkey apologize
for the `genocide,’ and next they will demand money and land from us.
The Ottoman archives are open to everyone, whereas the Armenians keep
theirs closed. That’s part of their strategy. Before Turkish-Armenian
relations can be normalized, the Armenians must recognize Turkey’s
territorial unity.’

Irtemcelik noted that the Armenian `genocide’ bill is full of
intentional mistakes, and added, `It’d be sad to see that this bill
passed by such a serious institution as the Bundestag.’

Irtemcelik stressed that Turkey isn’t trying to escape the truths of
the past, because there’s nothing in its past Turkey is afraid to
face. `But no one should think that we will recognize the Armenian
`genocide’ claims just because some people want us to,’ he added.
`The Armenians must come to see that their designs on Turkey are both
illegitimate and utterly futile’.