NSW premier in diplomatic spat with Turkey

The Telegraph, Australia
Nov 16 2013

NSW premier in diplomatic spat with Turkey

From: AAP
November 16, 2013 11:50AM

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell says it’s “deplorable” for Turkish
politicians to warn Australia against formally recognising the
Armenian genocide in the lead-up to Gallipoli centenary
commemorations.

Turkey has made it clear that NSW MPs are not welcome to attend the
2015 ceremony because of bipartisan support for a motion moved in
parliament by Mr O’Farrell in May which recognises and condemns the
genocide, Fairfax and News Corp Australia media reported on Saturday.

The motion “condemned the genocide of the Armenians by the then
Ottoman government between 1915 and 1922” in which 1.5 million
Armenians are said to have died.

The warning came from the Turkish Speaker of the parliament, Cemil
Cicek, on the eve of a public ballot for 8000 tickets reserved for
Australians to attend the ceremony at Gallipoli on April 25, 2015.

Mr Cicek told Fairfax that one of only two things that could disrupt
good relations between Turkey and Australia was for Australia “to
support any claims about genocide without hearing the Turkish side”.

“This could cause huge rifts between the nations and even jeopardise
commemorations around Gallipoli,” he said.

Mr Cicek called on the NSW parliament to withdraw its resolution,
saying reports of an Armenian genocide were “still inconclusive”.

Mr O’Farrell told Fairfax on Friday night that two similar Armenian
genocide resolutions had been moved in NSW in 1996 and 2012 without
any similar threats being made to disrupt the 100-year anniversary.

“It’s deplorable anyone associated with the Turkish government would
try and use next year’s centenary of the Gallipoli landing for
political purposes,” he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress