TURKISH POLITICAL LEADERS ARE DISPLEASED BY US PRESIDENT’S SPEECH

ArmInfo
2009-04-27 11:09:00

Turkish political leaders are displeased by US President Barack
Obama’s decision to use ‘Meds Yeghern’ during his April 24 statement
to commemorate the 1915 events. Even though he did not say ‘genocide,’
his usage of the Armenian term, which can be translated as ‘Great
Catastrophe,’ is still too close for comfort. Although U.S. President
Barack Obama did not utter the word "genocide" during his April 24
statement, his choice of the Armenian term "Meds Yeghern" to define
the 1915 events caused uneasiness in Ankara.

According to the Turkish media, speaking at a party meeting
yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the speech was
both unacceptable and an unrealistic interpretation of history. "It
is distressing that the 1915 events are being abused and used to
garner votes," Erdogan said, arguing that Obama made his statement
to fulfill the promises he made during his election campaign. "These
issues should be left to historians. Otherwise, it adversely affects
the relations between the countries. "Noting Turkey’s efforts to
maintain peace with Armenia, Erdogan said, "Turkey is not a country
that can be deceived that easily."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also posted a written statement on
its official Web site that clearly reflected Ankara’s discontent,
reading along the same lines as the remarks made by the president and
prime minister. "It should not be forgotten that several hundreds of
thousands of Turks have lost their lives as well in the same region
and throughout the same period in the context of the 1915 events.

History can be construed and evaluated only on the basis of undisputed
evidence and documents. The common history of the Turkish and Armenian
nations has to be assessed solely through impartial and scientific data
and historians must make their evaluations only on this basis. It is
with such an understanding that we support the historical dimension of
the Turkish-Armenian dialogue. On the other hand, we regard positively
the stance of President Obama on the Turkish-Armenian normalization
process".

To recall, earlier President of Turkey Abdullah Gul also expressed
his discontent with the US president’s statement.
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Subject: Turkish political leaders are displeased by US President’s speech

Turkish political leaders are displeased by US President’s speech

2009-04-27 11:09:00

ArmInfo. Turkish political leaders are displeased by US President
Barack Obama’s decision to use ‘Meds Yeghern’ during his April 24
statement to commemorate the 1915 events. Even though he did not say
‘genocide,’ his usage of the Armenian term, which can be translated as
‘Great Catastrophe,’ is still too close for comfort. Although U.S.
President Barack Obama did not utter the word "genocide" during his
April 24 statement, his choice of the Armenian term "Meds Yeghern" to
define the 1915 events caused uneasiness in Ankara.

According to the Turkish media, speaking at a party meeting yesterday,
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the speech was both
unacceptable and an unrealistic interpretation of history. "It is
distressing that the 1915 events are being abused and used to garner
votes," Erdogan said, arguing that Obama made his statement to fulfill
the promises he made during his election campaign. "These issues should
be left to historians. Otherwise, it adversely affects the relations
between the countries. "Noting Turkey’s efforts to maintain peace with
Armenia, Erdogan said, "Turkey is not a country that can be deceived
that easily."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also posted a written statement on its
official Web site that clearly reflected Ankara’s discontent, reading
along the same lines as the remarks made by the president and prime
minister. "It should not be forgotten that several hundreds of
thousands of Turks have lost their lives as well in the same region and
throughout the same period in the context of the 1915 events.
History can be construed and evaluated only on the basis of undisputed
evidence and documents. The common history of the Turkish and Armenian
nations has to be assessed solely through impartial and scientific data
and historians must make their evaluations only on this basis. It is
with such an understanding that we support the historical dimension of
the Turkish-Armenian dialogue. On the other hand, we regard positively
the stance of President Obama on the Turkish-Armenian normalization
process".

To recall, earlier President of Turkey Abdullah Gul also expressed his
discontent with the US president’s statement.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress