Turkish translation of `Blue Book’ presented in Ankara
28.06.2009 01:13 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish and uncensored edition of the book "The
Treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, 1915 Ð 1916," which was
earlier criticized by the Turkish authorities for being a wartime
fabrication, has been released in Turkey.
The book, also known as the "Blue Book," was originally published in
1916 in English by the British parliament, and delves into the 1915
and 1916 incidents that resulted in the expulsion of many Armenians
from Anatolia. The central thesis of the book was the argument that
starting in 1915, Armenians were subject to a policy of mass
annihilation in the Ottoman Empire, Hurriyet DailyNews reports.
The inauguration of the Turkish version of the book was held Friday in
Ankara with the participation of Lord Avebury from the House of Lords
and Ara Sarafian, a British historian of Armenian origin.
"Years ago, the Turkish Parliament demanded from the British side to
withdraw the book but the British parliamentarians asked for dialogue
with the Turkish side on the issue. No response came from Turkish
Parliament. The publication of the Turkish edition of the book is a
milestone in a historical sense for Turkey and I believe a new era for
dialogue will be created after this book," said Avebury.
"The Armenian genocide is the only issue that couldn’t be acknowledged
and solved in the world history but I am sure the book will contribute
to the solution of the issue."
Sarafian said with the book the Turkish official thesis on the issue
had been opened for discussion.
"The Turkish edition of the book is such an exercise in an effort to
re-engage the Armenian issue within a more democratic and open
Turkey," he said. "I hope that at least some deputies of the
Parliament will reconsider their collective position on the Blue Book
and distance themselves from it."
The book was also sent to all deputies in Turkish Parliament and the
necessary permission was taken to distribute it to the bookstores in
Turkey.