TURKISH PRESIDENT’S OFFICE SAYS ARMENIAN APOLOGY CAMPAIGN SIGN OF DEMOCRACY
Anadolu Agency
Dec 18 2008
Turkey
ANKARA (A.A) -The Presidential Press Centre has said 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 of Turkish
people’s reconciliation with their history and their self-confidence.
The Presidential Press Centre said in a statement on Thursday that
Gul had always clearly expressed Turkey’s ideas and proposals about
the events and Turkish-Armenian relations on numerous occasions and
in many international platforms.
"During Gul’s term in office as the foreign minister and deputy
prime minister, Turkey proposed Armenia to establish a committee of
historians to examine Turkish and Armenian archives. Gul advocated
the proposal on the international level," it said.
The centre also expressed President Gul’s profound regret that the
issue was distorted for some political purposes although his views
were well-known. Gul was criticized by the opposition parties.
A group of people issued an apology on the internet for the events
of 1915 boosting a nationwide discussion.
Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that he did not
accept or support the campaign recently launched by a group of Turkish
intellectuals and academicians aiming to apologize to Armenians for
the incidents of 1915.
"They might have committed such a crime themselves, as they
are apologizing now. 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, replying to questions following his meeting with
Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov in Istanbul.
Erdogan said that it was unacceptable to support such a campaign just
because it was launched by intellectuals.
Armenia and Turkey do not have diplomatic relations and their shared
border has been closed since 1993 when Turkey protested Armenia’s
occupation of the Upper Karabakh.
In September, President Gul visited Armenia in to watch a World Cup
qualifying match as a goodwill gesture.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
