CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHTS DEVELOPING APPROACH TO ARMENIAN CLAIMS

New Anatolian, Turkey
March 16 2006

Istanbul University began yesterday hosting a three-day international
conference that aims to bring a new approach to discussions of the
so-called Armenian genocide and its affects on Turkish-Armenian
relations.

In his opening speech, Istanbul University Rector Mesut Parlak urged
all concerned sides to analyze the problem, which centers on disputed
events of 1915, without concentrating on only a single event.

“Besides the political aspects of the events of 1915, historical,
legal, social, psychological and philosophical elements should be
determined. The importance of this conference is that the participants
will analyze the different aspects of the Armenian ‘genocide’,”
he said.

Parlak described genocide as a crime against humanity and said,
“Such a serious accusation must have a legal basis. The international
law defining genocide was adopted in 1948, and does not cover past
incidents. Therefore, it is impossible and illegal to characterize
the 1915 incidents as genocide.”

In a message sent to the conference, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
stressed that Turkey is at peace with its past, saying, “We have no
page in our history to be ashamed of.”

Noting that many conferences and symposiums have been held in
Turkey recently on the Armenian allegations, Gul said, “There has
been an increase in the amount of scientific research, articles and
books published about the last period of the Ottoman Empire and the
Armenian genocide claims. Thanks to studies into the question, we
have the opportunity to see the facts and to have the voice of the
truth heard against biased publications by the Armenian diaspora.”

“Furthermore, we bequeath detailed data to following generations about
a period of Turkish history. I would like to emphasize that the number
of impartial publications in the U.S. and Europe on this issue is
increasing. Serious steps are being taken to make public the facts,”
Gul said in the message.

Gul reiterated that archives from the Ottoman and Republican period
were open to all researchers for investigation and urged the Armenians
to open their archives to shed light on the period of history in
question. “Last year we proposed the Armenian government form a joint
commission composed of historians to examine controversial episodes
in Turkish-Armenian relations. However, we haven’t yet received a
positive response from the Armenians,” he added.