Turkish Daily News, Turkey
April 28 2007

Turkey criticizes Canada’s reference to alleged genocide
Saturday, April 28, 2007

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

Ankara strongly criticized Canada on Thursday for referring to the
killings of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire as genocide,
saying that it was "unacceptable, unfair and incompatible with
friendly ties."

Despite the Turkish government’s warning, Canadian Prime Minister
Stephen Harper recognized the killings of Armenians during World War
I years as genocide in a declaration he issued on April 24, a day of
commemoration for the alleged genocide.

"We consider such a reference in the statement by the Canadian prime
minister to be unacceptable, unfair and incompatible with our friendly
ties," stated a written statement released by the Turkish Foreign
Ministry late on Thursday.

The ministry warned that Harper’s declaration would neither contribute
to friendly ties between Turkey and Canada, nor to normalization of
ties between the two neighboring countries, Turkey and Armenia.

"We believe that Mr. Harper continues to be misled and suggest instead
that he encourage competent Canadian historians to study the events
of 1915 on a proper basis," it added. The ministry reiterated the
Turkish proposal of setting up a joint committee of historians to
study genocide allegations.