F.M. GUL MAY NOT ATTEND THE CONFERENCE ON OTTOMAN ARMENIANS SINCE HE IS SCHEDULED TO VISIT NEW YORK

Turkish Press
Aug 25 2005

ANKARA – “Although Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister
Abdullah Gul made known earlier that he might attend the conference
on the Armenian issue ‘in principle if his program permits’, he may
not attend the conference since he is scheduled to be in New York for
UN General Assembly meetings,” Turkish (MFA) spokesman Namik Tan said
on Wednesday.

Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Tan said, “Gul was informed
on the conference program just a month ago. He conveyed that he might
attend such a meeting in principle if his program enabled him.”

“But we received the invitation for the conference today. Since Gul
is scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly meetings
in New York, he may not attend the conference. But he may attend the
last day session of the conference if he will be available,” Tan added.

Istanbul’s Bogazici University is planning to hold the conference on
“Armenians in the Late Ottoman Empire” between September 23rd and 25th.