Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 1 2015
ErdoÄ?an spokesman slams Sarksyan for `unstatesmanlike’ remarks
Presidential Spokesman Ä°brahim Kalın. (Photo: Today’s Zaman, Mustafa Kirazlı)
January 31, 2015, Saturday/ 18:14:49/ TODAY’S ZAMAN / ISTANBUL
A spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an condemned
Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan for recent comments accusing Ankara
of sending an `indecent invitation’ to an event commemorating the
Çanakkale (Gallipoli) battle of World War I on Apr. 24.
Sarksyan readily dismissed the Turkish invitation for the event,
saying instead that ErdoÄ?an should respond to his that was invitation
extended a few months ago to join Armenians in the commemoration of
the victims of the Armenian `genocide’ in Yerevan on April 24.
On Jan. 29, Sarksyan repeated his criticism of the Turkish initiative,
calling it a `cynical and short-sighted invitation.’
`They say that in politics all means will do, but in this particular
case Ankara has harmed its own self. Once I received that indecent
invitation, I hurried to publicly respond to it so as to prevent any
improper comments from the international mass media. I think my
response and the reaction of the Turkish society have proved that it
was an injudicious initiative,’ Sarksyan was quoted in the Armenian
media as saying during a meeting of a state committee for the
commemoration of the centennial of the alleged Armenian genocide.
In remarks published by state news agency Anadolu on its website,
presidential spokesman Ä°brahim Kalın denounced Sarksyan’s comments as
`undiplomatic’ and `unstatesmanlike.’
`We return the expressions he used back to him,’ he told the agency.
Kalın accused the Armenian administration of not responding to
Turkey’s good will gestures, including the invitation to join the
Çanakkale commemoration. `It is observed that it is not realistic to
expect the Sarksyan administration, which remains stuck in distorted
pages of history, to appreciate these sincere steps [for
reconciliation],” Kalın said.
`The Armenian administration’s shallow and hateful rhetoric seems to
be unable to comprehend the true meaning of the Çanakkala battle as
well,’ he said.
Turkey sent invitations to the leaders of 102 states to attend the
commemorative event that is scheduled to take place on April 23-24.
Armenia, on the other hand, is preparing for the commemoration of the
centennial of what it calls a genocide of Anatolian Armenians during
the final years of the Ottoman Empire.
On Jan. 29, Sarksyan said a number of countries have already accepted
Armenia’s invitation to attend the commemoration in Yerevan.
In an open letter to ErdoÄ?an on Jan. 16, Sargsyan declined the Turkish
invitation, saying it indicates Turkey’s “traditional policy of
denialism.”
“Year by year, improving its tools of history distortion, this time
Turkey marks the anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli on April 24
for the first time, while it began on March 18, 1915, and lasted till
late January 1916. Furthermore, the Allies’ land campaign — [the]
Gallipoli land battle — took place on April 25, 1915,’ said Sarksyan
in his letter. `What purpose does it serve if not a simpleminded goal
to distract the attention of the international community from the
events dedicated to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide? Whereas,
before organizing a commemorative event, Turkey has a much more
important obligation toward its own people and the entirety of
humanity — namely the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian
Genocide,’ he added.
Ankara denies claims that the events of 1915 amounted to genocide,
arguing that both Turks and Armenians were killed when Armenians
revolted against the Ottoman Empire during World War I in
collaboration with the Russian army, which was then invading Eastern
Anatolia. Every year on April 24, Armenians around the world
commemorate the Armenian victims who died at the end of World War I in
Ottoman Turkey. Armenians are preparing for the centennial
commemoration events this year in April.
http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_erdogan-spokesman-slams-sarksyan-for-unstatesmanlike-remarks_371367.html