Shanghai Daily, China
Jan 20 2015

Turkish PM calls for promoting confidence, cooperation with Armenia

Jan 20,2015

ANKARA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on
Tuesday called on Armenians to leave prejudices behind and invited
those “who believe in Turkish-Armenian friendship to contribute to a
new beginning.”

Davutoglu released a written statement to commemorate Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink, on the eighth anniversary of his killing.

Dink, the former editor-in-chief of weekly Agos, was shot dead in
front of his newspaper building by a 17-year-old nationalist in 2007.

“Turkey, which earlier stated that imperative shuffle policies in
conditions of war in 1915 has created inhuman results, is making
determined efforts to reestablish sympathy between two nations,”
Davutoglu said referring victims of Armenians died under Ottoman rule
in World War I.

This trauma can only be abolished through breaking taboos, he stated.

Turkey and Armenia should develop confidence and cooperation, the
prime minister said, calling on Armenians to visit Turkey more often
in order to free prejudices.

In 2014, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed
condolences over the killing of Armenians under the Ottoman rule
during World War I.

His statement, a first ever condolence by a Turkish leader over the
killings, came on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the start of mass
deportations of Armenians in 1915.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress