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Germany supports joint study of 1915 Armenian massacres by Turks

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  • Germany supports joint study of 1915 Armenian massacres by Turks

    Agence France Presse -- English
    April 29, 2005 Friday 12:32 PM GMT

    Germany supports joint study of 1915 Armenian massacres by Turks

    ANKARA


    German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed support Friday for a
    Turkish proposal to create a joint commission of experts with Armenia
    to study the disputed history of the mass killings of Armenians by
    Turks in 1915.

    "The proposal of the Turkish Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) is
    good and this path should be followed," Schroeder said during an
    interview with Turkish television station NTV before his May 3-4
    visit to Turkey.

    However the German chancellor said it was important that a "nation
    looks at its history with a sense of self-criticism".

    Schroeder added that this question would "never" be a pre-condition
    imposed on Turkey -- which rejects the Armenian claim of a genocide
    -- for its entry into the European Union.

    Ankara fears that the genocide allegations could fuel anti-Turkish
    sentiment in international public opinion at a time when it is vying
    for EU membership.

    Erdogan said Friday Turkey could normalize relations with Armenia at
    the same time as undertaking the study of the Armenian massacres.
    Turkey had previously demanded that Armenia first abandon its
    campaign for the recognition of the World War I massacres as
    genocide.

    In 1993, Turkey also shut its border with Armenia in a show of
    solidarity with its close ally Azerbaijan, which was at war with
    Armenia, dealing a heavy economic blow to the impoverished nation.

    On Tuesday, Armenian President Robert Kocharian accepted in principle
    the Turkish proposal to create a joint committee to study the
    genocide allegations but demanded that Ankara first normalize
    relations with Yerevan without pre-conditions.

    Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen perished in
    deportations and orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917.

    Ankara argues that 300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died
    in what was civil strife during World War I when the Armenians took
    up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided with Russian
    troops invading the crumbling Ottoman Empire.
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