TURKISH DEPUTIES DEMAND DEPORTATION OF ARMENIAN CITIZENS

News.az
March 16 2010
Azerbaijan

"Turkey is not a country that can be spoken with in a language of
pressure."

The Turkish parliamentary commission on foreign relations listened to
Turkish FM Ahmed Davutoglu and Turkish ambassadors in the United States
and Sweden Namik Tan and Zergun Koruturk about the recognition of the
so-called "Armenian genocide" by the parliaments of some countries
on March 15.

During the debates, the deputies demanded from the government to show
a stiffer response to such resolutions. They urged to deport Armenian
citizens illegally residing in Turkey and close the US military base
in Incirlik.

"Turkey has granted Armenians the right to live illegally as it
understands that the situation in Armenia is grave. In addition,
if we take this step, what will the West think about us? Western
mass media will immediately start a campaign against Turkey saying
Ankara is deporting Armenians. This would place us in a very difficult
situation", Davutoglu said.

As for the signed protocols, he noted that Ankara does not intend to
withdraw them from the parliament: "Everything is good in its time. We
should not take the decisions that may further harm our interests. But
we will protect our national interests more energetically and let
everyone know about it. Turkey is not a country that can be spoken
with in a language of pressure. We will use these protocols as a tool",
Sabah newspaper quotes him as saying.

Davutoglu also stressed the need to take into account the further
possibility of such development and raise influence on the parliaments
of other countries.