TURKS DIVIDED OVER ARMENIAN DEPORTATION

news.am, Armenia
March 25 2010

48% of Turks agree with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, who
threatened to deport illegal Armenian immigrants. The Ankara-based
research center conducted a poll. Only 34% of the respondents said
they are strongly against the Premier’s statement.

Also, 55% of the respondents aged 18-24 are strongly supportive of
Erdogan’s statement – they said Armenian immigrants must be deported.

RFE/RL reported that old Turks are more tolerant: only 42% of the
respondents over 55 share Erdogan’s opinion, whereas 36% are strongly
against.

MetroPoll experts also found out the attitude of the people supportive
of certain political parties. Specifically, 56% of the Turks that
voted for the ruling Justice and Development Party at the recent
local elections would not mind the Government deporting the illegal
Armenian immigrants. As regards the supporters of the Nationalist
Movement Party, 63% of them are for deportation of Armenians.

Extremist Islamists are strongly against the deportation of Armenian
immigrants (56%).

As to the number of illegal Armenian immigrants in Turkey, 26% of the
respondents believe the Turkish Premier, 18% said it is within 25%,
and 40% of the respondents could not answer the question.

The poll conducted on March 18 involved 1,000 Turkish citizens in
31 cities.