Articles about Turkey's Attitudes contrary to International Values
Today's Zaman, Turkey
May 17 2008
Ankara to recall ambassador from Argentina after `genocide' rulings
The Turkish capital plans to call its ambassador from Buenos Aires
back home for "political consultations," in reaction to Buenos Aires'
insistent indifference to Ankara's marked uneasiness over a cascade of
laws, official decisions and statements in support of the Armenian
"genocide."
"The bilateral relationship with Argentina is likely to encounter much
activity soon," Turkish diplomatic sources told Today's Zaman on
Friday, noting that Turkey's Ambassador to Argentina Hayri Hayret
Yalav was expected to be recalled to Ankara for "political
consultations in the near future" in order to review bilateral
relations with this country.
Yalav, who was appointed to his current post with a government decree
in December 2006, previously returned to Ankara in early 2007 after
presenting his credentials to then-Argentinean President Néstor
Kirchner -- again for "political consultations." Officials at the
Argentinean Embassy in Ankara, approached by Today's Zaman on Friday,
said that Argentinean Ambassador to Turkey Brugo Marco was currently
in Buenos Aires. Counselor Luis Susmann did not want to make a
statement on the issue in absence of the ambassador, officials also
said.
Developments generating friction in bilateral relations between
Argentina and Turkey actually date back to autumn 2006. In November of
that year the lower house of Argentina's parliament adopted a
resolution recognizing killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
during World War I as "genocide." The resolution, which was adopted by
an overwhelming majority in the assembly, declared April 24 an
official "day of mutual tolerance and respect" among peoples around
the world. Armenians mark April 24 as the beginning of a "systematic
genocide campaign" against Ottoman Armenians.
In January 2007, in a move that brought applause from the Armenian
diaspora, former President Kirchner approved the draft law proclaiming
April 24 "the day of tolerance and respect."
Turkey categorically rejects the genocide claims and says Turks and
Armenians were killed in internal strife when Armenians revolted
against Ottoman rule in eastern Anatolia in hopes of carving out an
independent state in collaboration with the invading Russian military.
In April of this year, Argentina's Senate approved a declaration with
reference to the law, which entered into force in January 2007
following the president's approval. In the same month, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry announced that State Minister Mehmet Aydın had
cancelled a planned visit to Argentina in protest of the country's
stance.
Turkish officials regard the fact that Argentina is home to the
third-largest Armenian diaspora -- following the United States and
France -- as a strong factor in the current political crisis on the
bilateral political agenda, although this element has no relation to
the substance of relations with the country.
Observers say the point to which bilateral relations between Argentina
and Turkey have come is particularly sad at a time when Ankara has
shown significant will to improve relations with the Latin America and
Caribbean countries.
In line with its multidimensional foreign policy, Turkey pursued a
more active policy towards these countries in the beginning of the
1990s. An "Action Plan for Latin America and the Caribbean" was put
into effect as of 1998 and has been reviewed constantly since then. In
2006 Turkey took another significant step, declaring 2006 Year of
Latin America and the Caribbean, giving a further boost to the action
plan.
Yet the same observers say that under current circumstances the
Turkish capital has been pushed into the point of taking certain
measures to show clearly its displeasure at Argentina's attitude.
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Hürriyet, Turkey
May 17 2008
May 17 2008
Today's Zaman, Turkey
May 17 2008
TÃ`SÄ°AD criticizes `genocide' resolution in US Congress
A leading and influential Turkish business group has harshly
criticized a resolution pending in the US Congress seeking official
recognition of "a systematic genocide campaign" against Anatolian
Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
The Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association
(TÃ`SÄ°AD) earlier this week released a report on the issue
drawn up by researcher David Saltzman and titled "H. RES. 106: Legal
and Factual Deficiencies." The report, analyzing the factual and legal
deficiencies of US H. Res. 106, was shared with the public in
Washington on the occasion of a seminar held on the 10th anniversary
of TÃ`SÄ°AD opening its office there. The Armenian diaspora
continues to deal with the disappointment over the fact that the
resolution, which calls the 1915 killings of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks genocide, has not yet been adopted by the US Congress even
though it was passed by a US congressional committee in October 2007.
"We are not historians or jurists. We are simply concerned about
seeking the truth on the Armenian issue. Equally we are interested in
fighting a libel that has been accepted as historical truth by too
many for far too long," TÃ`SÄ°AD said in a written statement,
while announcing the report's release.
"Most organizations of the Armenian diaspora, academics as well as
some political operatives insist on calling the tragic events of that
period 'genocide.' Their further insistence on engaging in a serious
debate over the historical record only after admission by Turkey that
genocide had been committed makes it impossible to have an open
discussion," TÃ`SÄ°AD also said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 17 2008
TÃ`SÄ°AD criticizes `genocide' resolution in US Congress
A leading and influential Turkish business group has harshly
criticized a resolution pending in the US Congress seeking official
recognition of "a systematic genocide campaign" against Anatolian
Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
The Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association
(TÃ`SÄ°AD) earlier this week released a report on the issue
drawn up by researcher David Saltzman and titled "H. RES. 106: Legal
and Factual Deficiencies." The report, analyzing the factual and legal
deficiencies of US H. Res. 106, was shared with the public in
Washington on the occasion of a seminar held on the 10th anniversary
of TÃ`SÄ°AD opening its office there. The Armenian diaspora
continues to deal with the disappointment over the fact that the
resolution, which calls the 1915 killings of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks genocide, has not yet been adopted by the US Congress even
though it was passed by a US congressional committee in October 2007.
"We are not historians or jurists. We are simply concerned about
seeking the truth on the Armenian issue. Equally we are interested in
fighting a libel that has been accepted as historical truth by too
many for far too long," TÃ`SÄ°AD said in a written statement,
while announcing the report's release.
"Most organizations of the Armenian diaspora, academics as well as
some political operatives insist on calling the tragic events of that
period 'genocide.' Their further insistence on engaging in a serious
debate over the historical record only after admission by Turkey that
genocide had been committed makes it impossible to have an open
discussion," TÃ`SÄ°AD also said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
May 16 2008
Turkish association releases report on US bill on Armenia
Istanbul, 16 May: An influential employers' association in Turkey has
released a report on an Armenian bill regarding the incidents of 1915,
which was adopted last year by the Committee on Foreign Relations of
the US House of Representatives but was turned down by the general
assembly.
The report, drawn up by researcher and specialist in law David
Saltzman for the Turkish Industrialists' & Businessmen's Association
(TUSIAD), was presented on Thursday [15 May] at a Washington
conference on Turkish-US relations.
The report, "US House of Representatives Resolution 106: Legal and
Factual Deficiencies," said that there had never been a legal opinion
that can justify the 1915 incidents as "genocide", and those who
contended the allegations had never brought them before an
international court.
"The global public opinion is focused on this one-sided view. And the
rejection to acknowledge facts and the failure to consider the
historical background of the incidents help this view attain a
continuity," the report said.
Turkey has long been facing a systematic campaign of defamation
carried out by Armenian lobby groups. The Armenian diaspora has lately
increased its organized activities throughout the world for the
acknowledgment of their unfounded allegations in regard to the
incidents of 1915 as "genocide" by national and local parliaments.
In 2005, Turkey has officially proposed to the Armenian government the
establishment of a joint commission of historians and other experts
from both sides to study the incidents. Armenia has yet to respond
positively to this initiative. Turkey's proposal is still on the
table.
May 16 2008
Turkish association releases report on US bill on Armenia
Istanbul, 16 May: An influential employers' association in Turkey has
released a report on an Armenian bill regarding the incidents of 1915,
which was adopted last year by the Committee on Foreign Relations of
the US House of Representatives but was turned down by the general
assembly.
The report, drawn up by researcher and specialist in law David
Saltzman for the Turkish Industrialists' & Businessmen's Association
(TUSIAD), was presented on Thursday [15 May] at a Washington
conference on Turkish-US relations.
The report, "US House of Representatives Resolution 106: Legal and
Factual Deficiencies," said that there had never been a legal opinion
that can justify the 1915 incidents as "genocide", and those who
contended the allegations had never brought them before an
international court.
"The global public opinion is focused on this one-sided view. And the
rejection to acknowledge facts and the failure to consider the
historical background of the incidents help this view attain a
continuity," the report said.
Turkey has long been facing a systematic campaign of defamation
carried out by Armenian lobby groups. The Armenian diaspora has lately
increased its organized activities throughout the world for the
acknowledgment of their unfounded allegations in regard to the
incidents of 1915 as "genocide" by national and local parliaments.
In 2005, Turkey has officially proposed to the Armenian government the
establishment of a joint commission of historians and other experts
from both sides to study the incidents. Armenia has yet to respond
positively to this initiative. Turkey's proposal is still on the
table.
Gul says concerns of EU over Turkey are baseless
Concerns that the EU cake would be lessened after Turkey's membership
were baseless, "on the contrary, the cake will get bigger," Turkish
President Abdullah Gul said on Saturday, Anatolian Agency reported.
"We are aware that there are some concerns about Turkey in EU
countries. Turkey has to carry out works convince European public
opinion. We have lots to do. We will not come before finishing our
homework," Gul is quoted as saying in an interview with daily Kronen
published in Vienna.
Referring to decision made in 2005 to launch negotiations between
Turkey and the EU, Gul said Austria also approved this
decision. "There is no need for the Austrians to feel concern over
Turkey's EU membership as a referendum would be held in the end," he
added.
Gul said views that reform process slowed down were "partially right",
indicating that, "Turkey had two elections last year. The government
was engaged with the elections. However a new period started in
2008. As the president, I am closely following the reform process."
When Kronen newspaper journalist Kurt Seinitz said Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described assimilation a crime against
humanity and this led to discussions in Austria, Gul said, "such kind
of expressions can be interpreted differently in different
languages. The communities should integrate in the best way with the
societies they have been living in and should share, strengthen and
defend their common values."
Gul responding to a question about Armenian claims said, these claims
were not a "taboo" in Turkey, adding that, "we are sorry over what had
occurred in the past. However, this is not a genocide which the Jews
had to experience in Europe. The incidents erupted after revolt of
Armenians with the affect of some foreign forces. But one thing is
important, all the churches were open even during the incidents and
the Armenians, who were in important posts in the Ottoman
administration, continued to work." [!!!]
Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million of
their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915. However
300,000 Armenians along with at least as many Turks died in civil
strife that emerged when the Armenians took up arms for independence
in eastern Anatolia.
Referring to Turkey's call to all related parties to open their
archives, Gul said, "Turkey assumed a pioneering role here and
accepted to open its secret military archives."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Concerns that the EU cake would be lessened after Turkey's membership
were baseless, "on the contrary, the cake will get bigger," Turkish
President Abdullah Gul said on Saturday, Anatolian Agency reported.
"We are aware that there are some concerns about Turkey in EU
countries. Turkey has to carry out works convince European public
opinion. We have lots to do. We will not come before finishing our
homework," Gul is quoted as saying in an interview with daily Kronen
published in Vienna.
Referring to decision made in 2005 to launch negotiations between
Turkey and the EU, Gul said Austria also approved this
decision. "There is no need for the Austrians to feel concern over
Turkey's EU membership as a referendum would be held in the end," he
added.
Gul said views that reform process slowed down were "partially right",
indicating that, "Turkey had two elections last year. The government
was engaged with the elections. However a new period started in
2008. As the president, I am closely following the reform process."
When Kronen newspaper journalist Kurt Seinitz said Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described assimilation a crime against
humanity and this led to discussions in Austria, Gul said, "such kind
of expressions can be interpreted differently in different
languages. The communities should integrate in the best way with the
societies they have been living in and should share, strengthen and
defend their common values."
Gul responding to a question about Armenian claims said, these claims
were not a "taboo" in Turkey, adding that, "we are sorry over what had
occurred in the past. However, this is not a genocide which the Jews
had to experience in Europe. The incidents erupted after revolt of
Armenians with the affect of some foreign forces. But one thing is
important, all the churches were open even during the incidents and
the Armenians, who were in important posts in the Ottoman
administration, continued to work." [!!!]
Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million of
their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915. However
300,000 Armenians along with at least as many Turks died in civil
strife that emerged when the Armenians took up arms for independence
in eastern Anatolia.
Referring to Turkey's call to all related parties to open their
archives, Gul said, "Turkey assumed a pioneering role here and
accepted to open its secret military archives."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hürriyet, Turkey
May 17 2008
Armenia asks US to press Turkey to normalize relations
Armenian lobby in the United States presented a new bill to House of
Representatives envisaging Washington to put pressure on Ankara to
lift the embargo which it claimed Turkey imposes on Armenia, the
state-run Anatolian Agency reported Saturday.
Adam Schiff, an MP of U.S. Democrat Party, prepared the bill. Schiff
is known as leading Armenian initiatives in the House of
Representatives.
The bill envisages U.S. to launch initiatives for the removal of the
alleged embargo and U.S. Secretary of State to prepare a report for
the Congress about the incidents.
The same text should be submitted to the senate and the bill should be
adopted both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate and
should be signed by U.S. President in order to be enacted.
Armenian lobby in the United States had submitted a similar bill two
years ago but the bill has not been presented to the agenda of the
House of Representatives.
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic links after Ankara severed ties
in protest against Armenian control and violence in the
Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Armenia invaded in a war with
Azerbaijan in the early 1990s. The border between Turkey and Armenia
has been closed.
Armenia's genocide claims are another problem in two countries'
relations. Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5
million of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in
1915. However 300,000 Armenians along with at least as many Turks died
in civil strife that emerged when the Armenians took up arms for
independence in eastern Anatolia.
May 17 2008
Armenia asks US to press Turkey to normalize relations
Armenian lobby in the United States presented a new bill to House of
Representatives envisaging Washington to put pressure on Ankara to
lift the embargo which it claimed Turkey imposes on Armenia, the
state-run Anatolian Agency reported Saturday.
Adam Schiff, an MP of U.S. Democrat Party, prepared the bill. Schiff
is known as leading Armenian initiatives in the House of
Representatives.
The bill envisages U.S. to launch initiatives for the removal of the
alleged embargo and U.S. Secretary of State to prepare a report for
the Congress about the incidents.
The same text should be submitted to the senate and the bill should be
adopted both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate and
should be signed by U.S. President in order to be enacted.
Armenian lobby in the United States had submitted a similar bill two
years ago but the bill has not been presented to the agenda of the
House of Representatives.
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic links after Ankara severed ties
in protest against Armenian control and violence in the
Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Armenia invaded in a war with
Azerbaijan in the early 1990s. The border between Turkey and Armenia
has been closed.
Armenia's genocide claims are another problem in two countries'
relations. Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5
million of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in
1915. However 300,000 Armenians along with at least as many Turks died
in civil strife that emerged when the Armenians took up arms for
independence in eastern Anatolia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Toronto Star
May 17, 2008 Saturday
Board removes book on genocide
by Brett Popplewell, Toronto Star
The Toronto District School Board has removed a recent book about
human atrocities from the curriculum of a new high school course after
a committee was asked to look into public concerns over the book's
treatment of the Armenian genocide.
Barbara Coloroso's Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide had
been selected as a resource for a new Grade 11 history course about
genocide and crimes against humanity, but the book and the course came
under review after they were challenged by members of the Canadian
Turkish community.
While the board's review committee decided to remove Coloroso's book
from the curriculum, deeming it "far from a scrupulous text," the
Armenian genocide will still be taught in the course.
Coloroso, the bestselling author of parenting books, draws
similarities between behaviour exhibited in childhood bullying and
that exhibited in a genocide.
In addition to dealing with the mass murder of more than a million
Armenians, the book also examines the Holocaust that killed six
million Jews during World War II and the Rwanda genocide of almost a
million Tutsis in 1994.
The course's inclusion of the Armenian genocide has been controversial
since its initial announcement and was met by a petition with more
than 1,200 signatures opposed to the book and the course.
"To pick Armenia as a genocide when it is so controversial -
especially when there are atrocities by other countries that could
have been chosen - is just wrong," Lale Eskicioglu, executive director
of the Council of Turkish Canadians, said prior to delivering the
petition.
Officially, the Turkish government views the slaughter of the
Armenians as wartime casualties of World War I, with both sides guilty
of some provocation.
Board representatives declined to comment on the matter last night
because members of the community can still appeal the decision.
With files from Louise Brown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 17, 2008 Saturday
Board removes book on genocide
by Brett Popplewell, Toronto Star
The Toronto District School Board has removed a recent book about
human atrocities from the curriculum of a new high school course after
a committee was asked to look into public concerns over the book's
treatment of the Armenian genocide.
Barbara Coloroso's Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide had
been selected as a resource for a new Grade 11 history course about
genocide and crimes against humanity, but the book and the course came
under review after they were challenged by members of the Canadian
Turkish community.
While the board's review committee decided to remove Coloroso's book
from the curriculum, deeming it "far from a scrupulous text," the
Armenian genocide will still be taught in the course.
Coloroso, the bestselling author of parenting books, draws
similarities between behaviour exhibited in childhood bullying and
that exhibited in a genocide.
In addition to dealing with the mass murder of more than a million
Armenians, the book also examines the Holocaust that killed six
million Jews during World War II and the Rwanda genocide of almost a
million Tutsis in 1994.
The course's inclusion of the Armenian genocide has been controversial
since its initial announcement and was met by a petition with more
than 1,200 signatures opposed to the book and the course.
"To pick Armenia as a genocide when it is so controversial -
especially when there are atrocities by other countries that could
have been chosen - is just wrong," Lale Eskicioglu, executive director
of the Council of Turkish Canadians, said prior to delivering the
petition.
Officially, the Turkish government views the slaughter of the
Armenians as wartime casualties of World War I, with both sides guilty
of some provocation.
Board representatives declined to comment on the matter last night
because members of the community can still appeal the decision.
With files from Louise Brown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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