PanARMENIAN.Net

Turkey Speaking of Freedom of Speech without Recognizing Genocide
Ironic

20.05.2006 14:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian addressed the Strasbourg
session of the CE Committee of Ministers May 19. Touching upon the
outcomes of the fifth year of Armenia’s Council of Europe membership,
Oskanian noted the advancement of reforms aimed at boosting democracy
in the country. He especially underscored the repeal of death penalty
and adoption of amendments to the Constitution in compliance with
European standards.

Minister Oskanian addressed the Council in French and spoke about
democratic processes, democratic reforms and in that context, he
raised three issues: Armenian Genocide, destruction of an Armenian
cemetery in Nakhichevan and the Karabakh issue.

“First, even as there is a momentum over the world toward adopting
democratic processes which assure the development of free societies
where freedom of expression is an essential component of life, the
Turkish government has become more and more aggressive in denying the
Armenian Genocide abroad and criminalizing its discussion at home,’
Oskanian said. `As a result, there is a natural response to such
denial in some of our member countries, to attempt to legislate
against all denialist efforts. The irony is that the Turkish
government considers this a travesty of freedom of speech and
expression, without recognizing the Genocide. At the same time they
sustain their own right to punish their own citizens, who use the
term,” the Minister emphasized, reports the Armenian MFA Press
Service.