Sezer raises concerns over Poland’s ‘genocide’ resolution
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Turkish Daily News , Turkey
Jan 24 2007
Turkish Daily News
The alleged genocide of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire
appeared on the agenda of talks yesterday between Turkish President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer and his visiting Polish counterpart, Lech Kaczynski,
with Turkey voicing its uneasiness over a "genocide" resolution
recently passed by the Polish Parliament, diplomatic sources said.
The Polish president defended his country’s stance, saying that there
is sensitivity in Poland over the genocide issue and that it is very
difficult for a Polish politician to give a negative response to a
"genocide" call. Kaczynski said the Polish Parliament passed the
Armenian "genocide" resolution of 2005 not because they had sympathy
for the Armenians, sources added. The Jews of Poland were subject to
Nazi Germany’s genocidal policies.
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc sent a letter to his Polish counterpart
at the time condemning the resolution that recognizes the Armenian
allegations and in a protest move cancelled three parliamentary
activities with Poland in that year.
As part of his meeting in Ankara, Kaczynski repeated his country’s
call to play a mediator role in the normalization of ties between the
two neighboring countries, Turkey and Armenia, the same sources said.
The Polish president said his country is ready to help for the
normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties.
Turkey severed its diplomatic ties and closed its border gate with
Armenia after Armenian troops invaded the Azerbaijani territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh in the last decade. Turkey says normalization of
ties depends on Armenian withdrawal and an end to Armenia’s support
of efforts to win international recognition for the alleged genocide.
Sezer and Kaczynski signed a joint declaration during their meeting at
the Cankaya Presidential Palace. European Union-member Poland extended
strong support for Turkey’s aspirations to join the 27-nation bloc
in the document.
Energy was another issue discussed between Sezer and Kaczynski.
Concerned by Russia’s energy policies, Poland wants to cooperate
with Turkey in that sphere. Poland dissolved its military during
its integration process with NATO. The visiting president has asked
Turkey’s support in the restructuring of the Polish military.