TURKISH SPEAKER DISAPPOINTED BY SWISS LAW ON "INCIDENTS OF 1915"
Anadolu Agency
May 6 2010
Turkey
Ankara, 6 May: Turkey’s parliament Speaker said on Thursday [6 May]
that historians should solve the conflict over the incidents of 1915.
Delivering a speech during his meeting with Erika Forster-Vannini,
Speaker of Switzerland’s Council of States, Turkish parliament Speaker
Mehmet Ali Sahin said that Swiss authorities’ imposing punishment on
those denying the incidents of 1915 was a disappointing act.
Referring to Switzerland’s hosting an important meeting last October
for the solution of the problems between Turkey and Armenia, Sahin
said, "Protocols aiming at normalization of relations between the
two countries were signed in Switzerland. We are grateful for that.
However, Switzerland’s still imposing punishment on those denying
the incidents of 1915 is a disappointment for us. Because incidents
of 1915 is an issue that needs to be solved by historians."
Expressing the importance of interparliamentary relations, Sahin
said countries nowadays used parliamentary diplomacy to improve
their relations and Forster-Vannini ‘s visit to Turkey was of great
importance in this respect.
Guest parliament Speaker Forster-Vannini said in her part that she was
proud to lead the first-ever Swiss parliamentary group visiting Turkey.
Noting Turkish and Swiss parliaments should strengthen their relations,
Forster-Vannini said a Turkish-Swiss Interparliamentary Friendship
Group would soon be established and it would hold its first meeting
on 8 June.
Forster-Vannini also said Turkey and Switzerland had certain problems
that could not be neglected. "However, any MP can bring an issue to
the agenda of the parliament or submit a motion on such matter in
our system. Parliamentarians have such a right," she said.
Commenting on the incidents of 1915, Forster-Vannini said Swiss laws
had an article on punishing the individuals denying the incidents.
Pointing to the decision on the establishment of a commission of
historians on such matter, Forster-Vannini said her country was proud
to have hosted the signing process of the protocols between Turkey
and Armenia.