TURKISH OFFICIALS REACT DIFFERENTLY TO OBAMA’S G-STATEMENT
Tert.am
26.04.10
Turkish Ambassador to Washington Namik Tan said US President Barack
Obama’s second commemoration speech on April 24 was politically
motivated and would not contribute to the Armenia-Turkey normalization,
reports Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency.
"Whatever Obama says we will not accept his words as they are not
scientifically motivated but rather only politically. Some are happy
with his statement, but we do not share the same feelings," said Tan.
For the second time during his term in office US President Barack
Obama did not use the term "genocide" in his April 24 commemoration
speech, but rather preferring Meds Yeghern (Great Calamity) – something
Armenians do not approve of saying he did not deliver on his campaign
pledge to "recognize the Armenian Genocide."
Interestingly, there are different viewpoints among Turkish officials
over Obama’s speech. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was
satisfied with the speech.
"That statement shows to what extent has the US administration taken
Turkey’s concerns into account."
Turkish Foreign Ministry reacted rather strongly.
"We regret for that wrong and politically one-sided statement. The
main enemy of historical truth is the subjective memory," said a
Turkish Foreign Ministry statement.