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ANKARA: Turkish Parliament to Discuss Armenian Allegations

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  • ANKARA: Turkish Parliament to Discuss Armenian Allegations

    Journal of Turkish Weekly
    Feb 3 2005

    Turkish Parliament to Discuss Armenian Allegations


    The Turkish Grand National Parliament's committee for harmonisation
    with the European Union (EU) has announced that it will investigate
    allegations by Armenians that the Ottoman Empire committed acts of
    'genocide' against its Armenian citizens during World War One.

    Ali Riza Alaboyun, the deputy chairman of the Parliamentary
    Committee, said that some Armenian groups have agreed to the discuss
    the issues and settle the Armenian genocide claims that have been
    levelled at Turkey by many groups and organisations.

    `I do not believe that in our history there is anything to be ashamed
    of' Alaboyun said.

    `There is lack of information. We shall take the initiative in hand
    and have an unbiased assessment of events occurring away from us' he
    added.

    Onur Oymen, a member of the opposition Republican People's Party who
    also sits on the committee, said that Armenians distribute
    publications targeting Turkey on the genocide claims and that Turkey
    should make sure to send out material refuting the allegations.

    There is a vivid debate in Turkey about Turkish-Armenian relations.
    Many Armenian books have been translated from Armenian and other
    languages, including the pro-Armenian ones. However Turkey does not
    accept the Armenian allegations about the 1915 Events. According to
    Turkey there was a war in 1915, and the Armenian armed groups
    attacked the Ottoman Armies. 500,000 Muslims (Turkish and Kurdish)
    were killed by the Armenian armed groups. The ultimate aim of the
    Armenian nationalist groups was an independent Armenia in Eastern
    Anatolia. Dr. Nilgun Gulcan from ISRO said "Armenian citizens were
    not loyal to their own state."

    Gulcan told the JTW:

    "Thousands of Armenians changed their nationality and became Russian
    citizens. In Eastern provinces they attacked the Ottoman Armies and
    Muslim villages. Even they helped the occupier Russian armies. Apart
    from the war curcumstances there was a severe clash between the
    Kurdish and Armenian villages. Many were killed in these conflicts.
    In Van Province, the Armenians rioted against the Ottoman State and
    killed thousands of Turkish and Kurdish women, children and old
    people. They declared a city-state. When the Russians came to the
    city they dreamed of a greater Armenian state. However the Ottoman
    forces recaptured the city and put an end to the Armenian dreams. It
    is true, many Armenian civilians died. However the reason was not a
    genocide. The bad weather conditions and war curcumstances hit the
    Armenian civilians, and like the Turks and Kurds many Armenians lost
    their lives. No one could blame the Ottoman Government for genocide
    or mass killings."

    Nilgun Gulcan said the real problem is lack of cummunication and the
    Armenian diaspora: "Diaspora prevents dialogue between Turkey and
    Armenia" added Gulcan.

    "You can easily discuss the problem in Turkey. Armenians, Americans,
    British, etc. can question Turkish history. However no one can
    question Armenian history. Armenians first must question their own
    history. They must ask themselves how many Turks and Kurds killed
    their grand parents? Who killed 500,000 Muslim civilians?" added Dr.
    Gulcan.

    Dr. Nilgun Gulcan also examined the Western World's attitude
    vis-a-vis Turkey and Armenians:

    "Armenian forces occupied another European state's about 20 per cent
    territories. More than 1 million Azerbaijanis have been refugees
    without any assistance from the West. The US and the EU states bombed
    Serbia for its mistakes in Kosova and Bosnia. Iraq was occupied when
    it occupied Kuwait. However no one did anyting angainst the Armenian
    occupation. Now 1/5 of Azerbaijani country is under Armenian
    occupation. And Armenia does not recognise Turkey's national borders.
    Yerevan encourages Armenian separatist movements in georgia. And the
    EU and the US discuss the events happened almost a century ago. In
    Khojally Armenians did a genocide. But no one discuss Khojally but
    the 1915 events. France says Turkey cannot enter the EU without
    questionin its history. It is strange. The EU and France do not
    question its current policies, but they can ask Turkey to question
    its past.The past has been abused, and the real intenations are
    curtailed with history.

    Armenians do not want to discuss 'genocide' allegations...

    They do not accept any debate about the past...

    Armenian politicians do not want to withdraw their soldiers from
    Azerbaijani territories...

    They do not recognise Turkey's national borders...

    They take no step in peace process...

    They refuse to question their history...

    They just accuse... they blame... they ask... they just want from
    Turkey... They accuse Turkey... They accuse Azerbaijan... They accuse
    Georgia... They accuse the US... They accuse the EU... They accuse
    anyone, but themselves... It is a strange game, no one can
    understand, including the Armenians."

    Compiled and prepared by Jan SOYKOK, JTW, 3 February 2005
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