Konukcu: Yerevan Will Not Open Its Archives

Turkish Press
June 4 2005

ERZURUM (AA) – Prof. Dr. Enver Konukcu of Erzurum Ataturk University
Department of History said on Friday, “our state archives have already
been opened. However, Yerevan will not open its archives since there
are so many documents which constitutes evidence of massacres committed
by Armenians against Turks.”

Holding a news conference, Prof. Dr. Konukcu said, “the Ottoman Empire
faced a series of Armenian uprisings in eastern Anatolia in 1829,
under Sultan Abdul-Hamid II. After problems became more serious, the
Ottoman Empire adopted the Relocation Law. About 12 thousand Armenians
had been living in Erzurum when the law had come into force. 5 thousand
of them had been relocated. The Ottoman Empire had taken all necessary
measures to protect the Armenian people during the relocation.”

“Armenians claim that 1.5 million Armenians had been killed by
Turks. In fact, Turks have never committed genocide in their history.

Our state archives have already been opened. But, Yerevan will not
open its archives since there are many reports proving massacres
committed by Armenians against Turks,” he said.

Konukcu noted that the media had an important place in prevalence of
such allegations, adding that owners of many newspapers in the United
States were of Armenian and Greek origin.