Turkey deserves our thanks

Montreal Gazette , Canada
July 27, 2006

Published: Thursday, July 27, 2006

Relations between Canada and Turkey have been a little tense since
April, when our government declared that what happened to Armenians
in Turkey 90 years ago was genocide. It’s a view Turks strongly
reject. Further, Turkey is a Muslim country, and Ottawa has given
firm moral support to Israel in the current Lebanese fighting.

On both counts it would have been an easy matter for Turkish
authorities to find themselves too busy to return calls last week
when Canada requested the use of a Turkish port and airport to funnel
Canadians out of Lebanon.

All Canadians should take note and bear in mind that Turkey avoided
this temptation. The port of Mersin and the nearby airport at Adana
were instead opened wide to Canadians coming off chartered cruise
ships.

With the principal staging post at Larnaca, Cyprus, overflowing
with people of many nations, the cooperation of Turkey’s government
simplified the evacuation process for many Canadians.

And beyond the government’s reaction, news reports say individual
Turks and local authorities exerted themselves to help.

The numbers still have not been tallied but it appears that several
thousand Canadians have moved through Mersin and Adana. They, and
all of us, offer sincere thanks to the government and people of Turkey.

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