TURKISH MFA DISAGREES WITH SOME OF BUSH STATEMENTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.04.2006 19:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “It is not possible for Turkey to share some
expressions of US President George W. Bush in his statement released
on 24 April. On the other hand, the reference to creation of joint
commissions is positive,” said Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik
Tan. “History can only be written and assessed on the basis of official
documents. The archives are a source,” he noted. The disputed part of
Turkish-Armenian common history can only be researched on scientific
aspect, and the assessments can be made under the results of these
studies, he added. “Thus, Turkey’s proposal to Armenia to investigate
incidents before and after 1915 by a joint historical commission and
to inform the populations on the results shed light on this period
of history and normalize the relations between the two countries,”
Tan said, the Yerkir newspaper reports.

To remind, during his annual speech on April 24 George W. Bush
specifically said, “Today, we remember one of the horrible tragedies of
the 20th century – the mass killings and forced exile of as many as 1.5
million Armenians in the final days of the Ottoman Empire in 1915. This
was a tragedy for all humanity and one that we and the world must
never forget. We mourn this terrible chapter of history and recognize
that it remains a source of pain for people in Armenia and for all
those who believe in freedom, tolerance, and the dignity and value of
every human life. It is a credit to the human spirit and generations of
Armenians who live in Armenia, America, and around the globe that they
have overcome this suffering and proudly preserved their centuries-old
culture, traditions, and religion. We praise the individuals in Armenia
and Turkey who have sought to examine the historical events of this
time with honesty and sensitivity. The analysis by the International
Center for Transitional Justice, while not the final word, has made a
significant contribution toward deepening our understanding of these
events. We encourage dialogues, including through joint commissions,
that strive for a shared understanding of these tragic events and
move Armenia and Turkey towards normalized relations.

Today, we look with hope to a bright future for Armenia. Armenia’s
Millennium Challenge Compact reflects our confidence and the
importance we place in Armenia making progress on democratic reform
and advancement of free markets. We seek to help Armenia bolster its
security and deepen its inclusion in the Euro-Atlantic family. We
remain committed to securing a peaceful and lasting settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and hope the leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan will take bold steps to achieve this goal.

On this solemn day of remembrance, Laura and I express our deepest
condolences to the Armenian people. Our nations stand together,
determined to create a future of peace, prosperity, and freedom for
the citizens of our countries and the world.” We also note that in
spite of the urge of US Congressmen, Bush again avoided the phrase
Armenian Genocide to properly acknowledge the mass destruction of
the Armenian population in Ottoman Turkey in 1915.