ERDOGAN’S GOD WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED
Karine Asatryan

A1+
[04:01 pm] 28 June, 2006

"I can curse but I won’t. But I can’t help saying that in 1915 the
Turks massacred the Armenians and do not accept it. I can’t help
saying that Turkey has occupied part of Cyprus", announced Danish
deputy Run Lyund after the speech of the Prime Minister of Turkey,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan who considered certain restrictions of the
freedom of speech normal.

According to Erdogan, there are sacred values – national, religious
and others stirring of which causes terrorism. Erdogan considered the
fuss and mass rallies in connection with the caricatures of prophet
Mohammad natural. According to him, there is growing tension between
the West and the Islamic world.

Erdogan called on Europe to take into account the fact that 10-15%
of the population of the European capitals is Turks and their rights
must be respected.

Referring to the speech of Mr. Lyund, the Turkish Prime Minister
mentioned that the discussion of the Armenian Genocide is neither
criticism, nor offence.

But it is the concern of the historians and not the
politicians. According to him, Turkey called on Armenia to discuss what
took place in 1915 on the scientific level, but Armenia refused. By
the way, Erdogan referred to the Jewish Holocaust mentioning that as
a true Moslem he is convinced "that their God would not have allowed
anything of the kind".

During the discussion of the report on "Freedom of Speech and Respect
for Religion" Armenian delegate Artashes Geghamyan made speech. He
reminded how the Turks destroy Armenian monuments, how the Armenian
pupils in Turkey are deprived of the possibility to study the history
of Armenia and the Armenian Church, and, which is most important,
that Turkey keeps Armenia in a blockade.

The discussion is under way, there are still many amendments offered
to be made. Nevertheless, according to delegate Yurgens from the
Netherlands, if the amendments are adopted, the balance of the report
will be violated.