ARMENIANS OF EUROPE CALL ON US NOT TO DICTATE METHODS OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH TIES NORMALIZATION

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.06.2009 19:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian organizations of Europe made a joint
response to US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon’s proposal
on setting up a joint committee of Armenian and Turkish historians,
French journalist Jean Ekian reported to PanARMENIAN.Net. "On June 16,
Philip Gordon announced that Obama Administration encouraged Yerevan
and Ankara’s steps towards setting up joint committee of historians
with the purpose of resolving disputable issues concerning Armenian
Genocide. We don’t think it’s up to US President to dictate methods
of resolving historical conflicts," says the statement released by
Armenian organizations of Europe.

More than 30 years ago historian established the fact of
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire, authors of the statement
stress. "Historians should be free and independent in their
professional activity. No committee set up by the decision of any
state can adopt decisions concerning historical events," they say.

Considering that over 30 thousand Turks have apologized to Armenians,
and prominent Turkish historians like Taner Akcam use the word
"Genocide" to refer to the extermination of Armenians in Ottoman
empire, Barack Obama must admit that setting up such committee is
pointless.

"US President had better help Turkey to renounce genocide denial
policy and encourage Armenian-Turkish ties normalization process
without preconditions. That’s the only way acceptable to Armenians,"
the statement says