Public Radio of Armenia
Erdogan says they do not need to apologize to Armenians
17.12.2008 17:50

It is unacceptable to affirm support to the recent internet campaign
launched to issue a public apology to Armenians, Turkish Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on Wednesday.

A group of Turkish intellectuals on Monday issued an apology on the Internet
for the World War I-era massacres of Armenians in Turkey.

The group of prominent academics, journalists, writers and artists avoided
using the contentious term "genocide" in the apology, using the less
explosive "Great Catastrophe" instead.

"My conscience does not accept that (we) remain insensitive toward and deny
the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected in 1915,"
read the apology. "I reject this injustice, share in the feelings and pain
of my Armenian brothers, and apologize to them."

The efforts of the intellectuals drew fierce reaction in Turkey.

"I neither accept nor support this campaign. We did not commit a crime,
therefore we do not need to apologize," Erdogan said.