ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
May 9, 2006 Tuesday

Canada’s respond to Turkish ambassador consultations calm

by Igor Borisenko

OTTAWA

The Turkish ambassador to Canada has been summoned to Ankara for
consultations in protest against Canadian Prime Minister Stephen
Harper’s pronouncement on the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire
in 19151-1917.

Harper recognized the fact of genocide on behalf of the Canadian
government this April. The previous government of Canada abstained
from the recognition.

The Turkish embassy immediately responded that the pronouncement
would have a negative effect on the bilateral relations. Turkey
rejects and condemns attempts based on years-long propaganda and
political maneuvering to create a one-sided interpretation of history
and pass lies for truth, the newspaper Globe and Mail said on
Tuesday.

The reaction of the Canadian Foreign Ministry was rather calm. A
ministerial representative said that they knew about planned
consultations of the Turkish ambassador last week. Such consultations
are a private matter, and would not be a reason for Canadian
speculations, the ministry said.

Leader of the opposition New Democratic Party Jack Layton supported
the government’s position on the Armenian genocide. He said Canadians
want their government to speak up about such matters even if these
pronouncements create certain bumps in relations with other
countries.