Turkey’s premier says political relations can be established with Armenia
Germany backs proposal of joint committee to research Armenian genocide claim

Compiled by Daily Star staff
Saturday, April 30, 2005

Turkey’s prime minister said his country could establish political
relations with Armenia if the two sides agree to jointly research the
killings of Armenians during World War I, which Armenians say was a
genocide, a newspaper reported Friday.

Turkey has no diplomatic ties with Armenia. But Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan told the daily Milliyet that Turkey might establish
political ties if Armenia agreed to his proposal.

“Political relations might be established on one side and studies
(about killings) can continue on the other side,” Milliyet quoted
Erdogan as saying.

Turkey has been opening up on the subject under pressure from the
European Union ahead of negotiations on membership in the bloc.

Earlier this month, Erdogan sent a letter to Armenian President Robert
Kocharian inviting Armenia to set up a joint research committee.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed support Friday for the
Turkish proposal.

“The proposal of the Turkish Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) is
good and this path should be followed,” Schroeder said during an
interview with Turkish television station NTV before his May 3-4 visit
to Turkey.

However the German chancellor said it was important that a “nation
looks at its history with a sense of self-criticism.”

Schroeder added that this question would “never” be a pre-condition
imposed on Turkey for its entry into the European Union.

Erdogan said Friday that Turkey could normalize relations with Armenia
at the same time as undertaking the study of the Armenian massacres.

Turkey had previously demanded that Armenia first abandon its campaign
for the recognition of the World War I massacres as genocide.

In 1993, Turkey also shut its border with Armenia in a show of
solidarity with its close ally Azerbaijan, which was at war with
Armenia, dealing a heavy economic blow to the impoverished nation.

On Tuesday, Armenian President Robert Kocharian accepted in principle
the Turkish proposal to create a joint committee to study the genocide
allegations but demanded that Ankara first normalize relations with
Yerevan without pre-conditions.

Armenians say some 1.5 million of their people were killed as the
Ottoman Empire forced them from eastern Turkey between 1915 and 1923
in a deliberate campaign of genocide.

Turkey denies a genocide was committed, saying the death count is
inflated and insisting that Armenians were killed or displaced as the
Ottoman Empire tried to secure its border with Russia and stop attacks
by Armenian militants. – AP, AFP

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress