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BARRY O'FARRELL SLAMS TURKEY'S THREAT OF GALLIPOLI BAN AS CENTENARY BALLOT OPENS
Yahoo News, Australia
Nov 16 2013
November 16, 2013, 8:37 am
The New South Wales Government has reacted harshly to reports the
Turkish speaker of parliament has threatened to ban MPs from attending
the centenary commemorations of the Gallipoli landing.
Tension between the NSW Parliament and Turkish authorities first
erupted in May, when MPs passed a motion recognising the Armenian
genocide.
Genocide scholars say that from 1915 to 1923 more than 1 million
Armenians lost their lives at the hands of the Ottoman empire.
Turkey has long disputed it was genocide.
The Turkish speaker of parliament, Cemil Cicek, has reportedly called
on the State Government to withdraw its resolution.
He says NSW MPs could be banned from attending the 2015 Anzac centenary
at Gallipoli if action is not taken.
In a statement, Premier Barry O'Farrell said anyone associated with
the Turkish government should not use the centenary for political
purposes and labelled the comments "deplorable".
It comes after the ABC revealed that one of the world's most vocal .
The address, titled "What happened during 1915-1923", will be given
by Professor Justin McCarthy, an American history professor whom many
Armenians view with the same disdain as Jews view Holocaust denier
David Irving.
Ballot opens for Gallipoli centenary tickets
The escalation of tensions between NSW and Turkey comes as the
ballot for Australians hoping to attend the 2015 Anzac centenary at
Gallipoli opens.
A total of 6,000 tickets will be available to the general public,
and another 2,000 will be reserved for direct descendents of World
War One veterans, veterans of other wars and school children.
The Federal Government will extend personal invitations to the 160
surviving widows of World War I veterans.
The ballot will close at the end of January and the Government expects
to announce the results in March.
Veterans Affairs Minister Senator Michael Ronaldson says Prime Minister
Tony Abbott will attend the event and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten
will also be invited.
But he says the remaining official delegation will be small to ensure
as many members of the public can attend.
He says that although attending Anzac Day commemorations in 2015 would
be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, if unsuccessful in the ballot,
visitors could also consider visiting Gallipoli at another time during
the centenary year.
"The Gallipoli campaign lasted eight months from April to December
1915," he said.
"I encourage those who may not be successful in the ballot to consider
visiting Gallipoli at another time in 2015."
The ballot .
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/19869640/barry-ofarrell-slams-turkeys-threat-of-gallipoli-ban-as-centenary-ballot-opens/
Yahoo News, Australia
Nov 16 2013
November 16, 2013, 8:37 am
The New South Wales Government has reacted harshly to reports the
Turkish speaker of parliament has threatened to ban MPs from attending
the centenary commemorations of the Gallipoli landing.
Tension between the NSW Parliament and Turkish authorities first
erupted in May, when MPs passed a motion recognising the Armenian
genocide.
Genocide scholars say that from 1915 to 1923 more than 1 million
Armenians lost their lives at the hands of the Ottoman empire.
Turkey has long disputed it was genocide.
The Turkish speaker of parliament, Cemil Cicek, has reportedly called
on the State Government to withdraw its resolution.
He says NSW MPs could be banned from attending the 2015 Anzac centenary
at Gallipoli if action is not taken.
In a statement, Premier Barry O'Farrell said anyone associated with
the Turkish government should not use the centenary for political
purposes and labelled the comments "deplorable".
It comes after the ABC revealed that one of the world's most vocal .
The address, titled "What happened during 1915-1923", will be given
by Professor Justin McCarthy, an American history professor whom many
Armenians view with the same disdain as Jews view Holocaust denier
David Irving.
Ballot opens for Gallipoli centenary tickets
The escalation of tensions between NSW and Turkey comes as the
ballot for Australians hoping to attend the 2015 Anzac centenary at
Gallipoli opens.
A total of 6,000 tickets will be available to the general public,
and another 2,000 will be reserved for direct descendents of World
War One veterans, veterans of other wars and school children.
The Federal Government will extend personal invitations to the 160
surviving widows of World War I veterans.
The ballot will close at the end of January and the Government expects
to announce the results in March.
Veterans Affairs Minister Senator Michael Ronaldson says Prime Minister
Tony Abbott will attend the event and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten
will also be invited.
But he says the remaining official delegation will be small to ensure
as many members of the public can attend.
He says that although attending Anzac Day commemorations in 2015 would
be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, if unsuccessful in the ballot,
visitors could also consider visiting Gallipoli at another time during
the centenary year.
"The Gallipoli campaign lasted eight months from April to December
1915," he said.
"I encourage those who may not be successful in the ballot to consider
visiting Gallipoli at another time in 2015."
The ballot .
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/19869640/barry-ofarrell-slams-turkeys-threat-of-gallipoli-ban-as-centenary-ballot-opens/