TURKEY CALLS ON US TO BE A PART OF A JOINT COMMISSION WITH ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
29.03.2007 18:00
Turkey yesterday called on Armenia to accept its joint historian
commission with the inclusion of third parties, including the United
States. "I hereby extend an invitation to any third country, including
the United States, to contribute to this commission by appointing
scholars who will earnestly work to shed light on this tragedy and
open ways for us to come together," said Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul in his editorial for The Washington Times yesterday titled
"Politicizing the Armenian tragedy," the Turkish Daily News reports.
Turkey’s 2005-dated proposals were rejected by Armenia saying that the
priority should be given to establish political ties where sensitive
issues like genocide claims could also be taken. Criticizing the
Armenian lobby for politicizing the past and imposing their view of
history, Gul said it is "truly regrettable that there is no mention
of Turkish or Muslim lives lost during the same period."
Gul stressed that the only way to find out what happened in 1915 is to
ask scholars who have the ability to evaluate the period objectively,
working with the full range of available primary sources. "Turkey
has no difficulties in facing its past. We eagerly await a positive
response from Armenia, agreeing to establish this joint commission
and declaring its readiness to accept its conclusion," he said. Gul
underlined that the establishment of such a commission will also help
shape an atmosphere conducive to the normalization of Turkish-Armenian
relations.