Zaman Online, Turkey
June 11 2005
Armenians Also Complain about Diaspora
By Fatih Ugur
Published: Saturday 11, 2005
zaman.com
Justice and Development Party Deputy Turhan Comez, who realized the
first unofficial parliamentary visit from Turkey to Armenia gave a
conference at “Yerevan State University” titled “Turk-Armenian
Relations”
Professors, students and journalists attending the conference
followed it with a question about the cancelled conference at
Bogazici University adderessed to Comez. Comez reminded that Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul criticized the reactions towards the conference
and added: “I spoke to the professors at the University. The
conference will be held again. I will also tell you about my
impressions here.” Armenian Parliamentary Speaker Arthur Bagdasharyan
said that they also have problems with the Diaspora and there is no
issue in the Armenian constitution demanding land from Turkey.
Some students and professors reacted against some questions from
students like: “Will you visit the Genocide monument? Do the parties
in the Turkish Parliament meet on a common point for Turk-Armenian
relations? And, what do you think about 1915 events? Turhan Comez
said: “All of the 550 deputies in our Parliament want to develop good
relations with Armenia. People should get to know each other very
well. When I report the warm atmosphere here many things will change
in Turkey.” Dr. Comez said while talking about the events in the
past: “People lived through mournful months and events in 1915. But
historians should evaluate this era. I can say as the son of a doctor
and an emigrant family that it is impossible for us not to be sad
about our citizens who lost their lives after the emigration decision
taken by the government. But it should not be forgotten that if we
want to run we have to look to the future not to the past.” Rector of
the Yerevan State University Ara Avedisyan welcomed Comez. Comez
opened the conference saying “I am here because we need to take steps
in order to develop relations between the two countries” and
emphasized that Turks and Armenians cooperated many times throughout
history from the Malazgirt War to the Canakkale battle. Dr. Comez
said: “As the dialogue channels were closed till now true
communication did not take place between the two countries. The more
we visit each other the more we will get to know each other” and
showed the Turkish mountaineers team in the conference hall as
examples of positive dialogue. Comez said that Turkish mountaineers
and Armenian mountaineers planted the flags of the two countries on
the summit of the Arogats mountain the other day and added that
politicians should also act positively and rationally in order to
establish positive dialogue.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress