Author: Zargarian Hambik

Turkey cancels Polish MPs’ visit over Armenian vote

Anatolia news agency
27 Apr 05

ANKARA

Turkish parliament decided on Wednesday [27 April] to protest the
Polish parliament’s resolution on so-called Armenian genocide
allegations.

Turkish parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc sent a letter to his Polish
counterpart Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz condemning this resolution adopted
on 19 April, while Polish parliamentarians’ visit to Turkish
parliament was cancelled.

Members of the Polish-Turkish Interparliamentary Friendship Group were
scheduled to visit Turkey between 25th and 30th May.

On the other hand, Turkish parliament decided not to send a
representative to the “parliamentary marathon and semi-marathon
championships” held in Poland. Two parliamentarians were expected to
represent Turkey in this event.

In the letter he sent to Cimoszewicz, Arinc expressed his sorrow and
disappointment with approval of the resolution by the Polish
parliament.

Arinc wrote in his letter: “Our nation has felt deep sorrow over a
friendly parliament’s biased interpretation of the tragic incidents
that occurred between the Turks and Armenians under the circumstances
of the World War I. We can’t accept use of those days as a tool for
political intentions, which would cause prejudices against Turkey and
Turkish people.”

“National parliaments are not the appropriate places of making
judgments about disputable days of history. I think that parliaments
should exert efforts to create atmospheres which will enable
improvement of friendship and cooperation among nations and countries
(instead of acting this way),” said Arinc.

Noting that Turkey had always argued that disputable historical
periods should be assessed and examined by historians, Arinc said that
therefore, Turkey had opened its archives to all researchers.

Arinc stated that Turkey had also proposed Armenia to form a joint
committee comprised of Turkish and Armenian historians which would
examine the 1915 incidents in all the related archives.

Drawing attention that Turkish parliament had issued a statement and
supported this proposal, Arinc said: “Despite these bona fide
initiatives of our country, the resolution adopted by the Polish
parliament has been a very unfortunate development regarding our
bilateral relations. It is not possible to link this resolution to the
long friendly relations between our nations.”

US Client State Georgia to Develop Gas Pipeline to Iran, Other US Allies
Do the Same

European Oil & Gas Pipeline
Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Even as Georgia steps up its anti-Russian activities
with the help of the other US client states in the
resurrected GUUAM (Georgia/Ukraine/Uzbekistan/Azerbaijan/Moldova, but
the Uzbeks bailed in 2002 ), the Saakashvili
government plans to embark on energy projects that
would hardly seem acceptable to Washington – because
they involve that ‘axis of evil’ charter member, Iran.

Six memoranda of understanding on future economic
cooperation were the result of Monday’s meeting in
Tbilisi between Iranian First Vice President
Mohammad-Reza Aref and Georgian Prime Minister Zorab
Nogaideli, according to Iranian media.

“… Among the issues we discussed at our fourth
session I can refer to transfer of Iran’s oil, natural
gas and electricity to Georgia,” stated Georgia’s
Economy and Finance Minister Jula Shevid at the
meeting. According to the report, it was also agreed
that Iran will build Georgia a new power generator station.

Civil Georgia quoted PM Nogaideli as saying “…the
Iranian government is ready to allocate USD 2.5
million to Georgia for the rehabilitation of the
Iran-Azerbaijan-Georgia gas pipeline.”

Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref confirmed
that Iran is interested in the export of gas to
Georgia. `If Georgia considers Iranian gas very
expensive, I will personally try to revise the tariff,’ he added.

According to the Iranian government, with reserves of
27.5 trillion cubic meters of gas, Iran is “…the
second major gas rich country and fourth major gas
producer in the world.” The article contains detailed
information about the development of Iran’s enormous
South Pars gas field in southern Assalouyeh port in
Bushehr province, which contains 8 percent of the
world’s gas reserves.

It’s not just Georgia who is jumping on the Iranian
gas bandwagon. The US looked on with consternation
last week as Pakistani President Pervez Musharaff, who
has recently signaled a chance for warmer relations
with India, said that his country was enthusastic
about the planned 2,600-kilometre gas pipeline
connecting Iran and India, which will involve 760
kilometers of transit through Pakistan on the way.
Four days earlier, the Chinese also expressed their
desire to become part of the project.

“…New Delhi is likely to open dialogue on transit
issues with Islamabad next month,” reported Italy’s
AKI on April 18th. “Pakistan is also hoping to use the
same pipeline for importing gas from Iran for its own
purposes and is also hoping to earn millions of
dollars in transit fees for allowing the pipeline to
be on its soil in its passage to India.”

The US has called on India and Pakistan to shun the
Iranians, and instead build a pipeline from gas-rich
Turkmenistan. However, Musharraf summed it up bluntly
when he said that “…the whole world was buying oil
from Iran and entering into agreements with it on
petroleum products.” Tough luck for Uncle Sam.

Another American ally, Turkey, is Iran’s biggest
consumer of natural gas, and has signed a contract in
2001 that stipulates at least 25 years more of gas
deliveries.

Turkey, however, has bigger plans, and would like to
export surplus gas to the West, either through
southern Mediterranean ports or through the Balkans.
Several majors which would like to create new
pipelines in Balkan/Central Europe are all agreed that
new pipelines traversing Turkish soil, and any
increase in gas transit, is a good thing – no matter
where it may come from. Further, there is a school of
thought that insists Western companies should try to
avoid dependence on Russia, the world’s current top
gas producer, because of concerns over long-term supply.

At the end of the day, business is business. Oil and
gas companies want to get the most efficient, most
cost-effective pipeline they can – no matter whether
it comes from Russia, Iran or anywhere else. But for
the American administration, political games come
before free enterprise.

Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)
April 26, 2005 Tuesday

Nation recalls killing

YEREVAN — Armenians across Europe commemorated the 90th anniversary
of the mass killings of their forebears by Ottoman Turks yesterday.

The day marks the start of what Armenia contends was a genocidal
campaign that killed up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen in 1915-17.

Ankara counters that 300,000 Armenians and thousands of Turks were
killed in “civil strife” during WWI when Armenians rose against their
Ottoman rulers, siding with invading Russians.

In Yerevan, tens of thousands of Armenians, including President
Robert Kocharian, filed silently through the city’s towering Genocide
Memorial to lay flowers at an eternal flame.

Armenia is trying to make Turkey acknowledge the massacres as
genocide.

Mr Kocharian said his government would not ask for financial
compensation if Turkey recognised the genocide.

AZG Armenian Daily #075, 27/04/2005

Armenia-PACE

PACE WON’T DISCUSS AMENDMENTS TO RA CONSTITUTION

The issue of the amendments to RA Constitution was not included on the
agenda of the spring session at PACE. Tigran Torosian, deputy chairman of RA
National Assembly, said that the PACE bureau discussed the issue and decided
not to include that on the agenda.

“The common sense won. They understood that there is no necessity to touch
upon the amendments to RA Constitution. The issue is not that urgent,”
Tigran Torosian commented on the situation.

Recently, Shavarsh Kocharian, head of RA delegation to PACE, said in the
interview to the Liberty Radio that “As there are other urgent issues, one
can’t say that the issue of the amendments to RA Constitution will be
included in the agenda for sure.”

By Nana Petrosian

Süddeutsche Zeitung
25. April 2005

Stilles Gedenken an die Massaker;
Gebete für “Frieden und Versöhnung” / Türkische Zeitungen fordern
neuen Umgang mit eigener Geschichte

(Silent Memory of the Massacres: Prayers for Peace and Reconciliation
/ Turkish newspapers demand new approach to own history)

Von Christiane Schlötzer

Istanbul – Während in der armenischen Stadt Eriwan und rund um die
Welt am Sonntag Armenier an die Massenmorde im osmanischen Reich vor
90 Jahren mit Kranzniederlegungen, Demonstrationen, mit Reden und
Schweigeminuten erinnerten, gab es in der Türkei nur stille Gebete
für die Getöteten. Die türkischen Armenier – etwa 65 000 – gedachten
in Gottesdiensten der Ermordeten. “Wir beten für Frieden und
Versöhnung” hatte der armenische Patriarch Mesrob II. schon zuvor
angekündigt. Die armenischen Kirchen in Istanbul waren aber, auch
wenn die Gemeinde bewusst kein Aufsehen erregen wollte, deutlich
voller als sonst.

In Eriwan dagegen gingen Zehntausende auf die Straße. Ihr Ziel war
das auf einem Hügel gelegene Monument für die Toten, an dem Tulpen,
Nelken und Narzissen niedergelegt wurden. Von der Spitze des Hügels
kann man den Berg Ararat in der Osttürkei sehen, der als heiliger Ort
der Armenier gilt. In den Ostprovinzen des Osmanischen Reiches lebten
einst hundertausende Armenier. Die Vertreibungen begannen mit der
Verhaftung von armenischen Intellektuellen in Istanbul am 24. April,
weshalb das Datum weltweit von Armeniern traditionell als Gedenktag
begangen wird.

Neue Aufmerksamkeit

So viel Beachtung wie in diesem Jahr hat die armenische Forderung,
die Geschehnisse vor 90 Jahren als Völkermord anzuerkennen, aber noch
nie erhalten. Armeniens Präsident Robert Kotscharian unterstrich am
Sonntag noch einmal in Eriwan, sein Land wolle die “die
internationale Anerkennung und Verurteilung des Genozids” erreichen.
Aber Armenien sei auch bereit, “normale Beziehungen mit der Türkei
aufzubauen”. Die Türkei überrasche mit ihrer Haltung aber nicht nur
Armenien, sondern auch den Rest der Welt. Die Türkei, die der
Europäischen Union betreten möchte, und Armenien unterhalten keine
diplomatischen Beziehungen.

Die türkische Regierung hatte vor dem Sonntag versucht, eine Aufsehen
erregende Gegenkampagne gegen die Genozid-Vorwürfe zu starten. Am
vergangenen Freitag wiederholte der türkische Außenminister Abdullah
Gül noch einmal vor ausländischen Journalisten in Istanbul die
inzwischen in der Türkei von offiziellen Stellen häufig verbreitete
Formel, es habe in den Kriegswirren in den Jahren 1915/16 “Tote auf
beiden Seiten gegeben”. Gül nahm gar die kurz zuvor von
Generalstabschef Hilmi Özkök geäußerte Behauptung auf, die Armenier
seien von den kriegführenden Osmanen, um Racheakte zu verhindern, “in
eine sicherere Region” gebracht worden.

Dass diese Abwehrhaltung auch in der Türkei über nationalistische
Kreise hinaus immer weniger geglaubt wird, zeigten überraschend
emotionale Zeitungskolumnen am Sonntag. So kritisierte der Autor Can
Dündar in der türkischen Zeitung Milliyet, die Wiederholung der immer
gleichen Argumente, “die wir auswendig kennen, das bringt uns
nirgendwohin”. Dündar bedauerte, dass es an der türkisch-armenischen
Grenze kein gemeinsames Denkmal für die Toten gebe und dass “die
Zeitungen in der Türkei heute nicht mit der Überschrift erschienen
sind: Ihr Schmerz ist unser Schmerz”. Im Massenblatt Hürriyet stellte
Autor Murat Bardakci fest, dass kein türkischer Historiker armenisch
spreche und zudem die Geschichtsexperten des Landes schon lange kein
Werk mehr vorgelegt hätten, das international akzeptiert worden sei.

Zuflucht Religion

Das Blatt Sabah ließ den Istanbul-Armenier Vaskän Barin zu Wort
kommen, einen Architekten, der für die Stadtverwaltung arbeitet. Er
erzählte, dass seine Großeltern im Jahr 1915, “um sich zu schützen”,
Muslime geworden seien. Später hätten sie ihre Identität wieder
zurückerlangt. Noch vor kurzem hätte kaum ein Medium in der Türkei
eine solche Geschichte gedruckt. Barin nannte die armenische
Gemeinschaft in der Türkei “introvertiert”. Das zurückgezogene Leben
gilt als ein Schutz.

Die staatliche türkische Musikgesellschaft hatte am Vorabend des
Gedenktages in Istanbul zu einem Konzert geladen. Gespielt wurden
Musikstücke türkischer und armenischer Komponisten. In dem
Veranstaltungssaal, dem byzantischen Kirchenbau Aya Irini, waren alle
Plätze belegt.

Am Sonntag Abend war in Washington auch die traditionelle Rede von
US-Präsident George W. Bush zu dem Gedenktag erwartet worden.
Frankreichs Präsident Jacques Chirac hat schon am Freitag abend
gemeinsam mit Kotscharian in Paris an einem Monument für die Toten
einen Kranz niedergelegt.

Die Menschenrechtskommission der Vereinten Nationen hat die
Gräueltaten an den Armeniern als Völkermord gewertet. Mindestens 15
Staaten schlossen sich dem Urteil an, darunter auch Frankreich.
Deutschland vertritt bislang eine zurückhaltendere Linie.

Daily Trojan Online, University of Southern California
April 26 2005

Performing for a cause
SOAD’s benefit concert Sunday remembered the lives lost in the
Armenian genocide during WWI.

By John Ochoa

Media Credit: Photo courtesy of Heidi Ellen Robinson Fitzgerald
Lives lost. System of a Down performed Sunday night for the third
annual Souls benefit concert.

Don’t you just love it when musicians play for a cause? For System of
a Down, the cause was a personal one as they played the third annual
“Souls” benefit concert at the Gibson Amphitheatre Sunday night.

The concert date was chosen because April 24 marks the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian genocide during World War I, the first
genocide of the 20th century, leaving 1.5 million Armenians dead and
hundreds deported from their homeland. The “Souls 2005” benefit
concert was organized and headlined by SOAD, who are of Armenian
descent and who all lost family members to the Armenian genocide, and
aimed to help benefit organizations that work to eliminate genocides
and promote human rights, including Amnesty International, the
Armenian National Committee of America and Axis of Justice, formed by
Tom Morello, guitarist for Audioslave and the now-defunct group Rage
Against the Machine, and Serj Tankian, lead vocals of SOAD.

The night started with a short video explaining the background of the
Armenian genocide, causing people to angrily curse the Turkish
government, perpetrators of the genocide. They kicked off their set
with “BYOB,” the first single from their upcoming album Mezmerize,
the first of a two-disc album to be released on May 17. They later
moved on to “Kill Rock ‘n’ Roll,” a single from Hypnotize, the second
part of the double-album to be released in late 2005.

Throughout their set, SOAD played lots of older material from all
three of their previous albums, including major hits “Psycho” and
“Chop Suey,” as Tankian switched from his gospel-like voice to his
scream-sing tones, and took on the role of backup guitarist and
keyboardist.

“This band didn’t start to change the world. This band didn’t start
to change your mind. This band started to ask questions,” said lead
guitarist Daron Malakian as SOAD moved into “Aerials,” following it
up with several other songs including “Cigarro” from the Mezmerize
album.

The crowd loved every second of the show – headbanging, moshing and
jumping ecstatically to every beat as audience members waved Armenian
flags throughout the room. The boys came close to playing a flawless
set. Long into their set, however, Malakian’s guitar went out during
“Prison Song.” After several moments, he grew tired of waiting and
jumped into the crowd and began riding waves of arms and hands.

As the night came to a close, SOAD focused on some of their oldest
material from the multi-platinum selling Toxicity album and their
self-titled debut. With a robotic-sounding voice backing Tankian, the
band went on to play their breakthrough hit “Sugar,” later ending the
show with “P.L.U.C.K.”

The Mezmerize/Hypnotize album has high expectations, being named the
most anticipated album of 2005 by Entertainment Weekly, and is
assumed to continue the band’s political views and ideals. Already,
the “BYOB” single exerts political messages; the song is an acronym
for “Bring Your Own Bombs” and deals with the topic of war. A
European tour has been confirmed by SOAD and a U.S. tour is in the
works for August or September.

Pan Armenian News

OZGUL DZHAM: TURKEY SHOULD BEG ARMENIA PARDON

25.04.2005 04:40

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `We acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, share the pain of
the Armenian people and condemn the events of the 1915′, representative of
the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations of Europe, Kurd in
origin, Ozgul Dzham stated when visiting the Memorial to the Armenian
Genocide victims on April 24. He noted that he speaks on behalf of his
Turkish colleagues as well. In his words, the Turkish government should beg
Armenia’s pardon. `History cannot be turned back, that is why we should
spare no effort to reconcile the Armenian and Turkish people’, he stated.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St. NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE
April 24, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

PRESIDENT BUSH AGAIN FAILS TO HONOR HIS
PROMISE TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

WASHINGTON, DC – Ignoring calls from a record two hundred and ten
U.S. legislators, President Bush failed, once again, to honor his
pledge to properly characterize the Armenian Genocide as a
“genocide” in his annual April 24th remarks, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a statement issued today, on April 24th, the annual day of
remembrance for the Armenian Genocide, the President again resorted
to the use of evasive and euphemistic terminology to obscure the
reality of Turkey’s genocide against the Armenian people between
1915-1923. In retreating from his promise, the President ignored
the counsel of the one hundred and seventy-eight Representatives
and thirty-two Senators who had written letters urging him to
properly characterize the Armenian Genocide.

“While we appreciate the President’s willingness to join with
Armenians around the world by issuing a statement on this occasion,
we remain deeply troubled by his continued use of evasive and
euphemistic terminology to obscure the moral, historical, and legal
meaning of Turkey’s genocide against the Armenian people,” said
Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “This statement,
sadly, once again, represents a form of complicity in the Turkish
government’s shameful campaign to deny a crime against humanity.”

The ANCA has also expressed concern that the Administration’s
refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide reflects a broader
unwillingness to confront genocide – as evidenced by the White
House’s failure to take decisive steps to bring an end to the
genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. The ANCA is working with a
broad coalition of organizations to pressure the Administration to
respond in a timely and meaningful way to the worsening crisis in
Darfur. “If we are to end the cycle of genocide, we must, as a
nation, generate the resolve to forcefully intervene to stop
genocide when it takes place, to unequivocally reject its denial,
to hold the guilty accountable, and to secure for the victims the
justice they deserve,” added Hamparian.

In February of 2000, then presidential candidate George W. Bush,
campaigning for votes among Armenian voters in the Michigan
Republican primary, pledged to properly characterize the genocidal
campaign against the Armenian people. In his statements as
President, he has consistently avoided any clear reference to the
Armenian Genocide, and his Administration has consistently opposed
legislation marking this crime against humanity.

The text of the President’s remarks is provided below.

#####

The White House

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary

April 24, 2005

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

On Armenian Remembrance Day, we remember the forced exile and
mass killings of as many as 1.5 million Armenians during the last
days of the Ottoman Empire. This terrible event is what many
Armenian people have come to call the “Great Calamity.” I join my
fellow Americans and Armenian people around the world in
expressing my deepest condolences for this horrible loss of life.
Today, as we commemorate the 90th anniversary of this human
tragedy and reflect on the suffering of the Armenian people, we
also look toward a promising future for an independent Armenian
state.

The United States is grateful for Armenia’s contributions to the
war on terror and to efforts to build a democratic and peaceful
Iraq. We remain committed to supporting the historic reforms
Armenia has pursued for over a decade. We call on the Government of
Armenia to advance democratic freedoms that will further advance
the aspirations of the Armenian people. We remain committed to a
lasting and peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
We also seek a deeper partnership with Armenia that includes
security cooperation and is rooted in the shared values of
democratic and market economic freedoms.

I applaud individuals in Armenia and Turkey who have sought to
examine the historical events of the early 20th century with
honesty and sensitivity. The recent analysis by the International
Center for Transitional Justice did not provide the final word, yet
marked a significant step toward reconciliation and restoration of
the spirit of tolerance and cultural richness that has connected
the people of the Caucasus and Anatolia for centuries. We look to a
future of freedom, peace, and prosperity in Armenia and Turkey and
hope that Prime Minister Erdogan’s recent proposal for a joint
Turkish-Armenian commission can help advance these processes.

Millions of Americans proudly trace their ancestry to Armenia.
Their faith, traditions, and patriotism enrich the cultural,
political, and economic life of the United States. I appreciate all
individuals who work to promote peace, tolerance, and
reconciliation. On this solemn day of remembrance, I send my best
wishes and expressions of solidarity to Armenian people around the
world.

Der Tagesspiegel, Deutschland
24 April 2005

Völkermord und Reue

Verzeihung, aber…
Von Christoph von Marschall

Wie ein Riegel schiebt sich die Debatte um Schuld und Leid zwischen
Vergangenheit und Zukunft. 90 Jahre nach dem Völkermord an den
Armeniern will sich die Türkei ihrer Geschichte noch immer nicht
stellen; rabiat protestiert sie gegen das internationale Gedenken an
diesem Sonntag. Und 60 Jahre nach Ende des Weltkriegs bringt der
Streit um Totenehrung, Schulbücher und angemessene Entschuldigungen
Japaner und Chinesen gegeneinander auf.

Im Vergleich dazu mag das vertrauensvolle Verhältnis zwischen
Deutschland und seinen früheren Kriegsgegnern fast vorbildlich
wirken. Die Bundesrepublik hat das Schuldbekenntnis zur Staatsraison
erhoben, und die Opfer von damals haben das neue Deutschland in die
internationale Gemeinschaft zurückgeholt. Was aber nicht verhindert,
dass periodisch Streit aufbricht: um Entschädigung, Vertreibung,
Schuld und Sühne. Auch in zwei Wochen wird Europa gespalten sein,
freilich nach einem anderen Muster. Balten, Polen, Tschechen und
westliche Europaabgeordnete kritisieren das Gedenken an das
Kriegsende in Moskau – nicht weil erstmals ein Bundeskanzler dabei
ist, sondern weil Russland seine Verbrechen an den Völkern
Mitteleuropas leugnet. Für sie war der 9. Mai 1945 kein Tag der
Befreiung, das Kriegsende markiert den Übergang von der braunen zur
roten Besatzung, vom KZ zum Gulag.

Sind alle Versuche zur Bewältigung der Geschichte also vergeblich?
Fortschritte bei den einen Partnern ziehen neue Verwerfungen bei
anderen nach sich. Auch in der Türkei: Die Forderung nach
türkisch-armenischer Annäherung belastet nun das Versöhnungsprojekt
EU-Türkei. Wäre es nicht besser, die Vergangenheit ruhen zu lassen,
auf die Zeit, die Wunden heilt, zu vertrauen und die Annäherung im
Alltag voranzutreiben, damit der wechselseitige Nutzen versöhnt:
Grenzöffnung zwischen Türkei und Armenien, mehr Handel zwischen China
und Japan? Und dürfen ausgerechnet die Deutschen als Lehrmeister
auftreten – wo sie doch 1915 Mitwisser des Armeniermords waren und
selbst den schlimmsten Völkermord verantworten?

Sie dürfen nicht nur, sie müssen sogar: jetzt, wo die gemeinsame
Zukunft in der EU zur Debatte steht. Die ist nicht möglich ohne ein
Minimum an Verständigung über die Vergangenheit – auch über die
Geschichtsbilder. Und darüber, was Schwäche und was Stärke eines
Staates, einer Gesellschaft ausmacht. EU-Europa hat aus den
Katastrophen des 20. Jahrhunderts die Lehre gezogen, dass die
Überhöhung des Nationalstaates gefährliche Feindbilder
heraufbeschwört und der selbstkritische Blick in den Spiegel der
Geschichte Frieden fördert. In der Türkei, in Russland, auch in Japan
und China dagegen werden Bekenntnisse von Fehlern und Schuld als
Schwäche empfunden, als Unterwerfung und Befleckung des
Nationalstolzes. Es fehlt die Erfahrung, dass tätige Reue befreien
und versöhnen kann – nicht nur Menschen, auch Staaten. Natürlich,
selbst dadurch lässt sich Vergangenheit nicht so „bewältigen`, dass
sie im Nationalarchiv ruht und folgende Generationen nicht mehr
behelligt. Doch Schuld zu ignorieren oder zu leugnen hilft auch nicht
weiter. Anerkennung durch die Nachbarn und gemeinsame Zukunft sind
nicht zu haben ohne den ehrlichen Blick zurück. Eine Minderheit in
der Türkei hat begonnen, sich mit dem Genozid an den Armeniern
auseinander zu setzen. Sie verdient alle Unterstützung.

Armenian minister hails diplomatic achievements in genocide recognition

Arminfo
24 Apr 05

YEREVAN

The fact that 18 countries have recognized the Armenian genocide in
Ottoman Turkey is an achievement of Armenian diplomacy, the Armenian
defence minister and secretary of the Security Council under the
Armenian president, Serzh Sarkisyan, has told journalists.

In his view, Turkey will not be let into the European Union without
recognizing the Armenian genocide because a number of European
countries have recognized and condemned it. “After all, Turkey itself
should think about it,” Sarkisyan said.

[Passage omitted: A list of countries which have recognized the
genocide]