Ankara slams Canadian PM for ‘genocide’ expression

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
April 28 2007

The Turkish capital expressed regret over a recent statement by
Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper — in which he referred to
the World War I era killings of Anatolian Armenians as "genocide" —
describing Harper’s remark as "unacceptable, unjust and incompatible"
with Turkey’s and Canada’s relations "as friends and allies."

The Foreign Ministry in a written statement released late on Thursday
reiterated Turkey’s firm stance, sticking to its earlier call to
Yerevan for the establishment of a joint commission of Turkish and
Armenian historians and experts to study Armenian allegations of
genocide, noting that such commission would be open to all concerned
and competent historians regardless of their nationality. "We regret
Prime Minister Harper’s statement, which will contribute neither
to the promotion of 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," the ministry said.

In a statement released for April 24, which Armenians claim marks
the anniversary of the beginning of a systematic genocide campaign at
the hands of the late Ottoman Empire, Harper was quoted as saying by
Armenian media: "Today we recall the horrible losses of 1915 in the
Ottoman Empire, particularly the terrible tragedy of the Armenian
nation. Last year I reminded all Canadians that both Houses of
Parliament have adopted resolutions recognizing the first genocide
of the 20th century."

28.04.2007

Today’s Zaman Ankara