TURKISH POLITICAL PARTIES RELEASE JOINT STATEMENT AGAINST EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
15:37 â~@¢ 17.04.15
Turkey’s ruling party, along with two opposition parties, have
released a joint statement “harshly condemning the partial approach”
of the European Parliament (EP) which backed a motion to call the
mass killings of Anatolian Armenians during World War I a “genocide,”
the Hurriyet Daily News reports.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the opposition Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP) signed the declaration on late April 16; only the Peoples’
Democratic Party (HDP) abstained from signing the declaration.
The statement condemned the EP’s “partial” approach as it “opposes
the idea of peace, toleration and building of a common future.”
“Despite our objections, the European Parliament prefers to deepen the
problem and gap between our two societies … and prevent impartial
and scientific research of the issue,” said the joint statement.
Since 1985, some 13 joint statements have been released in the Turkish
parliament’s general assembly about various countries’ statements,
including ones by France and the United States, about Armenian claims.
“The government should found a truth and reconciliation commission
in order to face the past,” HDP Co-Chair Selahattin DemirtaÃ…~_ told
reporters on April 16, displaying a different approach than other
political leaders.
“The pope says something; they give a childish reaction. The European
Parliament makes a decision; they give a childish reaction to this,
too. It’s like a kindergarten, not as if they are governing a state.
They are like children attending a kindergarten,” he said.
“You should explain to society how the Armenian reality should be
faced. This is an issue which is not discussed in Turkey. This is
an issue which is not officially clarified,” he said. “This problem
cannot be resolved by saying ‘We don’t recognize the pope.'”
The HDP has long recognized the 1915 events as a genocide.
From: Baghdasarian