Ak Party Deputy Comez Says Turkey Ready To Debate Armenian Claims

Turkish Press
June 13 2005

YEREVAN (AA) – Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Turhan
Comez told Armenian deputies and officials on Saturday that Turkey
was ready to debate genocide claims both in historical and in legal
platforms.

Responding to questions of some Armenian deputies about Armenian
claims of ‘genocide,’ Comez explained 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.