New Anatolian, Turkey –
June 30 2007
Turkey criticizes Greek president
The New Anatolian / Ankara
29 June 2007
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Bilman expressed regret
over Greek President Karolos Papouliyas’s statements written on the
‘journal’ of Tsisernakaberd monument and his statements in Yerevan
during his visit to Armenia alleging that Ottoman Turks had massacred
Armenians at the turn of the 20th century.
`The statements in question consist of groundless allegations based
on distortion of the historical facts," Bilman said in a written
statement while responding to a question.
Bilman said, "the biased stance of Greece as regards to 1915
incidents (Armenian massacre allegations) was registered under a
resolution adopted by Greek parliament. Greece, which carried out
atrocities in Anatolia during the Turkish War of Liberation, does not
have the right to advise Turkey to take lessons history."
"Such kinds of approaches do not contribute to the endeavors to
establish a friendship and cooperation atmosphere between the two
countries but have a negative impact on the process of normalizing
relations between Turkey and Armenia."