TURKISH PM THREATENS TO DEPORT ARMENIANS

Radio Netherlands
e/article/turkish-pm-threatens-deport-armenians
Ma rch 18 2010

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to expel
thousands of illegal Armenian workers if foreign parliaments continue
to pass legislation recognizing the mass murder of Armenians under
Ottoman rule as genocide.

The prime minister’s threat, made in an interview with the BBC, comes
after recent resolutions in the United States and Sweden recognized
the massacres, between 1918 and 1918, as genocide. Directly after
the resolutions were passed, Ankara withdrew its ambassadors from
both countries.

Mr Erdogan says the recent resolutions "adversely affect our sincere
attitude toward illegal Armenians". He added "there are 170,000
Armenians in my country, of these, 70,000 are citizens but we are
tolerating the remaining 100,000".

Analysts say the numbers are grossly inflated and there are between
10,000 and 20,000 illegal Armenians in Turkey.

Relations between Turkey and Armenia have been strained for almost
a century but tentative steps towards ending their mutual enmity
resulted in a deal to reopen crossing points on their mutual border
last year. The prime minister’s comments could seriously damage the
already strained reconciliation process.