Turkey rejects new pressure to recognise Armenian ‘genocide’
Agence France Presse
May 6 2005
06/05/2005 AFP
ANKARA, May 6 (AFP) – 10h04 – Turkey on Friday rejected a resolution
adopted by parliament in Argentina, the latest example of international
pressure on Ankara to recognize as genocide the mass killings of
Armenians under the Ottoman Empire.
“We denounce and reject the accusation of genocide formulated on
April 20 by the senate of Argentina,” the Turkish foreign ministry
said in a statement.
Noting that Turkey had explained to Argentina “at the highest levels
the problems that could be caused by such a resolution,” it said
the Argentinian senate had “acted irresponsibly in adopting a text
replete with historical errors.”
On April 25, the Turkish government urged public agencies and civic
groups to join an “all-out effort” against what it called the “baseless
allegations” that 1.5 million Armenians perished in orchestrated
killings between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart.
Ankara counters that 300,000 Armenians and thousands of Turks were
killed in “civil strife” during World War I when the Armenians rose
against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.
The European Union has warned that relations between Armenia and
Turkey will likely affect negotiations on Ankara’s bid to join the EU.
On April 27, the Turkish parliament cancelled a series of exchange
visits with Polish lawmakers in protest at a resolution adopted by
parliament in Warsaw.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress