Trend, Azerbaijan
April 29 2010
Turkish FM: Knesset’s decision to discuss "Armenian genocide" doomed to failure
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the Israeli Parliament Knesset’s
decision to accept a proposal to discuss the Armenian allegations
regarding the incidents of 1915, was an attempt expected to fail like
previous ones, the World Bulletin web site reported with reference to
Anadolu news agency.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Burak Ozugurgun, commented at a weekly
press conference on Knesset’s decision to accept the leader of Meretz
Party Haim Oron’s proposal to debate the Armenian allegations
regarding the 1915 incidents as genocide.
The question on the" genocide "was discussed by the Left parties
faction represented in the Knesset. The Left parties meeting involved
about 20 members, of whom 12 voted for the decision and eight –
against. The meeting made decision to consider it at the Parliamentary
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Ozugurgun who pointed out that similar proposals were discussed at
Knesset in the past said, "We expect such attempts to fail like the
examples in the past."
"Not just the Israeli Parliament. But Turkey’s views on judgement of
history by parliamentarians, in general, are well known. It is better
to leave interpretation of history to historians," Ozugurgun said.
Armenia claims that the Ottoman Empire committed "genocide" against
Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. Making greater efforts to
promote the issue internationally, Armenians have achieved its
recognition by parliaments in some countries.
Despite this, Turkish Foreign Ministry Adviser Firudin Siniroglu will
visit Israel in early May 2.
Sinirlioglu will discuss with Israel the reasons for the recent
deterioration of relations between the two countries after the Israeli
military operation in the Gaza Strip last winter, as well as ways to
resume Palestinian-Israeli negotiations and facilitate Turkey’s
mediation in the indirect peace talks between Syria and Israel.
The two countries held political consultations in January in Ankara
with the participation of Israeli Foreign Ministry Adviser Yossi Gal.