TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS WANTS TO REACH OUT TO ARMENIAN DIASPORA
Yerkir
15.04.2010 13:31
Yervan
Yerevan (Yerkir) – Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs, told reporters Wednesday that Turks and Armenians "in
Paris and Boston" should sit together and attempt to reconcile their
memories of the tragic events that took place in 1915, the Boston
Globe reported.
"We made some outreach to the American diaspora," he said in remarks
that appeared to reference the Boston area as home to a large Armenian
community. "We told them ‘Our archives are open. We are ready to
discuss everything.’"
Davutoglu said that members of the Turkish parliament have discussed
passing a resolution condemning the US genocide against Native
Americans in retaliation for the bill in Congress, but that he has
not encouraged such a measure.
"You can create a success story out of history," he said. "You can
create hatreds as well."
He said that Turkey had reached out to neighboring Armenia with signs
of friendship and he remains hopeful that the Turkish parliament will
eventually pass a law that will help normalize relations, although
he said he is not sure if there are enough votes yet.
"As Turkey, we are ready to share the pain of our Armenian neighbors,"
he said.
But his comments fell far short of the acknowledgment of suffering
that millions of Armenians want to hear.