Turkish MP says Turkey ready to discuss “baseless” Armenian genocide claims

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
11 Jun 05

YEREVAN

[Ruling] Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Turhan Comez told
Armenian deputies and officials on Saturday [11 June] that Turkey was
ready to debate genocide claims both on historical and in legal
platforms.

Responding to questions of some Armenian deputies about Armenian
claims of ‘genocide’, Comez explained to them the historical
realities, and noted that the Armenian claims were baseless.

Reminding of the UN Genocide Convention, Comez said that genocide
meant committing mass massacre with the intention of killing all
members of an ethnic or religious group. Many Muslim Turks were killed
during the uprising of Armenian gangs, said Comez, adding that the
Ottomans adopted the Deportation Law in order to protect the integrity
of the country.

“Citizens (of Armenian origin) living in Izmir and Istanbul were not
asked to migrate. Therefore the decision (of deportation) can’t be
considered within the UN Genocide Convention of 1948. Maximum security
measures were also taken to guarantee the safe deportation of
Armenians showing that Ottomans didn’t have the intention to kill
them,” Comez told Armenian politicians.

“Turkey is right in its point of view historically and legally against
those claims,” he said.

Comez added that the two sides shouldn’t get stuck on the past, but
look for common interests for the future.