The New Anatolian, Turkey
June 18 2005

Turkey questions Germany’s ‘friendship’
The New Anatolian / Ankara

The German Parliament’s decision urging Ankara to examine its role
in the so-called Armenian genocide has united all sectors of Turkish
society. While Prime Minister Erdogan accuses the German Parliament
of ‘sacrificing’ this serious issue to ‘mere lobbyists,’ Turkish
Parliament Speaker Arinc writes a letter to his German counterpart
denouncing the decision

On the ‘opposition front’ the situation is no different. CHP
parliamentary group head Anadol blames the German Parliament for
taking decisions without ‘understanding the realities.’ DYP leader
Agar holds a press conference to denounce the decision and asks:
‘Has Germany forgotten our longtime friendship?’

Besides politicians, Turkish nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
also show their outrage with a protest in front of the German Embassy
in Ankara. A black wreath is placed in front of the embassy by the
Public Workers’ Labor Union (Kamu-Sen). Police efforts to remove the
wreath cause an uproar