Turkey’s priority is so-called genocide: Gul

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
June 16 2005

Combating allegations that the Ottoman Empire committed acts of
genocide against its Armenian citizens during the First World War
was one of Ankara’s main priorities, Gul said Thursday.

Guncelleme: 10:19 ET 16 Haziran 2005 PerºembeBRUSSELS – The Foreign
Minister said that Ankara had strongly warned countries against
putting the so-called Armenian genocide issue onto their agendas.

In an interview that appeared in the Brussels based magazine Anadolu,
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said the Justice and Development
government had managed to refute the Armenian claims using a well
prepared, coherent and active strategy.

The proposal by Ankara to set up joint committee with Armenia to
study the claims had been internationally welcomed, Gul said.

He added that the reason that diplomatic relations with Armenia had
not been formalised was due to problems posed by Yerivan. Armenia’s
efforts to make use of Ankara’s EU bid had had a negative impact on
the EU process, the Foreign Minister said.

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