TURKISH OPPOSITION CRITICIZES ERDOGAN’S STATEMENT ABOUT POSSIBLE DEPORTATION OF ARMENIANS

Arminfo
2010-03-19 11:27:00

ArmInfo. Leader of the oppositional Republican People’s party of
Turkey Deniz Baykal, known as a vocal opponent of signing of the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols, criticized Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayip Erdogan’s statement about possible deportation of Armenians.

According to the Turkish mass media, Baykal said it was unacceptable
to use the people coming to work in Turkey as the tool of pressure
in the solution of any dispute. "It is against the human rights and
can not be accepted", the oppositionist said.

To recall, in an interview with BBC in London, R. Erdogan threatened
to deport illegal citizens of Armenia from the country’s territory.

"Ankara has so far tolerated the presence of 70,000 Armenians working
illegally in Turkey. So what will I do tomorrow? If necessary, I will
tell them ‘come on, back to your country’… I’m not obliged to keep
them in my country", Erdogan said.

To note, Republican People’s party of Turkey argued against
normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and demanded to
recall the protocols signed with Armenia from the parliament. At the
initial stage of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations,
Baykal called the actions by Erdogan and Gul deceitful with respect to
"brother Azerbaijan".