Journal of Turkish Weekly
June 4 2005

Will Yerevan open their archives?

source: Hurriyet, 4 June 2005

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Prof. Dr. Enver Konukcu of
Erzurum Ataturk University Department of History said, “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.”

Konukcu added that that the media had an important role to play in
the allegations over the so-called genocide, saying that owners of
many newspapers in the United States were of Armenian and Greek origin.

“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.

Turkey asked the diaspora Armenians and Armenia open their archives.
The archive in Jerusalem, Istanbul Armenian Church and the Tashanak
arcives contains vital documents.