TURKISH HISTORIAN DENIES ARMENIAN MASS GRAVE CLAIMS

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
May 23 2007

Ankara, 23 May: According to the results of the carbon tests, it has
been proven that bones in graves, claimed to have been a mass grave of
the Armenians in Nusaybin town of southeastern city of Mardin, were
in fact bones dating back to 257-597 B.C., Prof Dr Yusuf Halacoglu,
chairman of the Turkish History Society (TTK), said on Wednesday
[23 May].

Halacoglu and Prof David Gaunt from Swedish Stockholm Soederntoern
University carried out researches in Nusaybin and the samples were
underwent laboratory tests in Ankara University.

"The soil and ceramic analyses indicated that they were dating to
53 B.C. – 227 A.D. A third sample was dating back to 63-383 B.C.,"
Halacoglu told a press conference in Ankara.

Halacoglu noted that the tests were carried out despite the mentioned
place was a Roman grave.