TURKEY’S RESPONSE TO OBAMA’S MESSAGE AND FRIED’S SPEECH

AZG Armenian Daily
21/06/2008

Armenian Genocide

In despite of the unprecedented inner political tensions in Turkey,
the interest of the Turkish public towards the Armenian Genocide
issue is not decreasing.

The Turkish press from time to time addresses the week-log USA tour of
Foreign Minister Babacan, brings expertise results on the possibilities
of recognition of the Genocide and interviews American statesmen and
public figures, as for example, ex-ambassador of the USA to Turkey,
Abramovitz.

In the latest period The Armenian Genocide issue, as ever, has been
one of the most popular topics in the mass media of Turkey. The
June 16 message of candidate Obama to Hay Dat commission chairman Ken
Hajickian, as well as Daniel Fried’s speech at the Senate provoked even
more interest to the question of recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

In an earlier publication "Azg" has written about both the
aforementioned message and the speech. On June 19 "Aksam" newspaper
commenting on Obama’s message pointed out the following phrase, "I
agree with You, the authorities of the USA must qualify the 1915-1923
events as genocide. During those events about 2 million Armenians
were expelled and 1,5 million massacred. We have to adopt that fact."

On the very same day "Milliet" commented on Fried’s statements,
making a very interesting quotation for the Armenian reader from
the speech, "We have never denied the events of 1915. They have been
thoroughly addressed and accepted. Nobody is trying to forget that
historical period. All relevant measures are taken to commemorate
April 24. President Bush used the ‘massacre’ phrasing".