Dünya online, Turkey
Jan 29 2007

Erdogan: Article 301 can be changed
29/01/2007 15:29:09

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday traveled to Ethiopia to
attend an African Union Summit set to discuss climate change. Erdogan
is expected to brief the gathering on Turkey’s efforts to fight
global warming.
Speaking to reporters before his departure, Erdogan responded to a
recent declaration by Bogazici University professors calling for the
abolition of Article 301 after the murder earlier this month of Hrant
Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian descent, saying that the
government wasn’t thinking of doing away with the article altogether.
"Many countries have similar laws," said Erdogan. "You need to look
at all sections of the law carefully and not ignore them."

Erdogan further stressed that he had urged the academics to rethink
their proposal and that they would understand that it is not
coherent. The premier added, however, that the government was open to
suggestions for changes to the article and that he had discussed the
issue with non-governmental organizations. "But the NGOs couldn’t
reach agreement among themselves," added Erdogan.
From: Baghdasarian