100,000 ILLEGAL ARMENIANS IN TURKEY? NOT TRUE, SAYS ABDULLAH GUL

Tert.am
12:16 â~@¢ 19.03.10

The number of illegal Armenians in Turkey as stated by Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not accurate, said President of
Turkey Abdullah Gul, reports Turkish daily Hurriyet, commenting on
Erdogan’s recent statement that he would deport all illegal Armenians
living in Turkey should the Armenian Diaspora make efforts to have
more parliaments adopt resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

"The prime minister just wanted to present, on that issue, Turkey’s
positive approach. The real number is not 100,000. It’s less than
that. The prime minister, in an effort to explain that there is no
hatred towards those who work in such a way in Turkey, used that
example," said the Turkish president.

Asked whether he would speak to US President Barack Obama because,
following the US congressional panel approving H.Res.252 recognizing
the Armenian Genocide, the crisis between the US and Turkey continues,
Gul replied: "I’m no longer going to speak to Obama on that issue.

There’s nothing left to say. We’ve said everything… We’ve spoken
about everything… We’ve presented our opinions and our good
intentions."

In his words, decisions such as the adoption of the Armenian Genocide
resolution complicate the normalization procces between Turkey and
Armenia.

"In any case, problems in the Caucasus are our problems. The current
situation benefits neither Turkey nor Armenia nor Azeribajan. We’ll do
everything possible for the establishment of peace in the Caucasus…,"
said Gul.