TURKISH GENERAL STAFF DISAPPROVES OF ARMENIA APOLOGY CAMPAIGN

Anadolu Agency
Dec 19 2008
Turkey

Ankara, 19 December: The General Staff has said that it disapproved
the online apology campaign for the events of 1915.

Gen Metin Gurak, chairman of the General Staff Communication
Department, said at a press briefing in Ankara on Friday, "We
definitely do not consider the campaign right. This apology is wrongful
and it may lead to harmful consequences."

A group of Turkish intellectuals and academicians issued an apology to
Armenians on the internet earlier in the week for the events of 1915,
boosting a nationwide discussion.

Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday [17 December]
that he did not accept or support the campaign. "They might have
committed such a crime themselves as they are apologizing now. The
Republic of Turkey does not have such a concern. One can apologize if
there is a crime necessitating such an apology. Neither my country,
nor my nation has such concerns," Erdogan said.

Yesterday, the Presidential Press Centre said in a statement that
President Abdullah Gul considered recent discussions in the Turkish
public opinion and academic circles over the events in 1915 a
sign of existence of a democratic discussion atmosphere in Turkey
which was more civilized and freer than many other countries and
a sign of Turkish people’s reconciliation with their history and
their self-confidence. Armenia and Turkey do not have diplomatic
relations and their shared border has been closed since 1993 when
Turkey protested [against] Armenia’s occupation of the Upper Karabakh.

In September, President Gul visited Armenia to watch a World Cup
qualifying match as a good-will gesture.