Journal of Turkish Weekly
May 3 2005

An ignorant approach

source: Hurriyet

Following Turkish History Organization President Professor
Halacoglu’s insistent and public rejection of Armenian genocide
claims, Switzerland has issued an order for the professor’s arrest,
and has trying to have Interpol prepare a “red bulletin” for arrest
in his name.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul issed a sharp response to the decision
by Zurich Canton and some European parliaments to “forbid rejection
of the Armenian genocide.” Gul, speaking to Hurriyet, said that
Europe making a “terrible mistake” and that if they did not realize
this, Turkey would “show them their error by revealing the truth.”
Gul said that he thought Europe was trampling on its own foundations
by issuing such decisions, and then queried “Isn’t freedom of
expression one of the cornerstones of Europe?” FM Gul also said that
the decision taken by the Zurich Canton was anathema to the European
Agreement on Human Rights.

Not a court-backed decision

Of the moves across Europe to ban outward rejection of the so-called
Armenian genocide, Gul said further “There is nothing that has been
proven. This is not a court decision. It is a politically motivated
decision. How can you arrest a scientist (Professor Halacoglu) for
something he is saying?”

FM Gul went on to condemn the poltics of Armenian backed lobbies in
European parliaments across the EU.