AZG Armenian Daily #111, 17/06/2005

Armenian Genocide

‘COMBATING ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS IS AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY’

Turkish Foreign Minister Gul Warns

On June 14, US congressmen George Radanovich, John Nollemberg, Frank
Pallone and Adam Schiff submitted the resolution on Armenian Genocide
to the Congress. The website of Turkish Public Television informs
that the chairman of the Committee of International Relations of the
House of Representatives promised Schiff, author of the resolution,
that they will bring it up for discussion.

On June 16, the draft on “Armenian Massacres” was unanimously approved
by the Bundestag. While Ankara looked to Bundestag to make changes
to the text, Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul handed down
clarification on Turkey’s approaches to the initiatives of Genocide
recognition in a special English and French-language issue of Anatolu
paper of Belgium.

On June16, Turkish newspapers, Milliyet and Zaman, write about the
minister’s clarification in articles titled “Gul Warns States Backing
Armenian Resolution” and “Struggle Against Armenian Allegations is Our
Important Priority”. “Struggle against Armenian allegations is one of
the top priorities of our government’s foreign policy. At this point,
the important thing to do is to work out the necessary strategy. Out
ministry is working in this direction”, Turkish papers quoted the
minister as saying.

Then Abdullah Gul continued, “We have made a historic proposal to
Armenia about the Armenian allegations. The prime minister sent a
letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian on April 13 officially
presenting the issue. We positively evaluated Kocharian’s reply to
our prime minister. We are still searching to find common approaches
in these letters to start a dialogue”.

Regarding the states recognizing the Armenian Genocide, Gul added,
“We seriously warn all those states whose parliaments accuse Turkey
and its people of a genocide and show initiative thereupon. No one
has the right to condemn Turkish people basing on false historic
documents and out of political interests”.

Rounding off, Abdullah Gul mentioned the Armenian-Turkish relations
placing the blame for unresolved relations on Armenia. “I want above
all to point out that our government is not against improving relations
with Armenia. Just the opposite. It will help establishing stability
in the region and creation of the atmosphere of cooperation. We are
after improving bilateral relations with Armenia step by step. This
is our imperative in continuing our dialogue with Armenia in order
to overcome mutual mistrust”.

By Hakob Chakrian