TURKEY FINDS CANADIAN PREMIER’S ARMENIAN "GENOCIDE" REMARKS UNACCEPTABLE
Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
April 27 2007
Ankara, 26 April: "We find this reference in the statement of the
Canadian prime minister unacceptable, unjust and incompatible with
our relations as friends and allies," Turkish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA) said when commenting on Canadian Prime Minister Stephen
Harper’s statement on 24 April related to the events of 1915 to which
he referred as "genocide".
Releasing a statement, the MFA said, "Turkey remains committed to
preserving its good will and constructive approach in order to assure
that the events of 1915 are understood correctly in their entirety
by the Turks, the Armenians and other nations."
"Turkey’s proposal to establish a joint commission of historians is
still on the table and has been brought widely to the attention of
the international public opinion. This commission will be open to all
concerned and competent historians regardless of their nationality,"
the statement pointed out.
"We regret Prime Minister Harper’s statement which will contribute
neither to the promotion of the Turkish-Canadian relations nor to a
possible rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia. We believe that
Mr Harper continues to be misled, and suggest that he encourages
competent Canadian historians into studying the events of 1915 on a
proper basis," it added.