Ankara trying to obstruct opening of genocide museum in Oslo

22.07.2005 14:51

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Turkish government is trying to obstruct the opening
of a section in a genocide museum that is due to open in Olso, Norway,
Armenpress reported, citing Haraj, an Armenian-language newspaper
published in France.

At his meeting with Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Traavik,
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said the space allocated for
the Armenian Genocide along with the Holocaust in the museum would
greatly offend the feelings of the Turkish people. “We expect it
would be banned,” the minister has said.

In reply, the Norwegian minister has said that the museum was a private
initiative, is not sponsored by the government, and that the government
could not interfere. Berken University History professor Furie, one
of the museum initiators, said the museum would open on August 30, the
day when Turks mark the “liberation” of their country from “enemies.”