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Turkish Speaker writes to German counterpart slamming Armenian resolution

Text of report in English by Turkish news agency Anatolia

Ankara, 22 June: Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc sent today a letter to German Parliament Speaker Wolfgang Thierse to denounce the adoption (on 16 June) of a resolution by the German parliament to commemorate the so-called Armenian genocide.

“We feel deep sorrow over the German parliament’s decision which we believe to have been taken for small political interests and we regard the decision as an irresponsible initiative,” wrote Arinc in his letter.

Arinc stressed that this one-sided decision adopted by the parliament of a “friendly and ally” country also deeply hurt three million Turkish citizens living in Germany who regarded Germany as their second homeland.

Arinc underlined the fact that there were many historical mistakes in the decision which accused Turkish nation of committing a grave crime, adding that “we are very sorry as the parliament of a country like Germany which has a well-established state tradition, adopted such a decision which is full of mistakes and distorted information”.

“In the resolution it was said that Turks don’t face their history. Turkey is always ready to face its history and there is no shameful page in our history,” Arinc wrote in his letter.

Referring to the call of the Turkish government and opposition party for formation of a joint committee – composed of Armenian and Turkish historians – to investigate the 1915 incidents by studying all archives – in Turkey, Armenia and third countries – Arinc said that Premier Erdogan conveyed this proposal to Armenian President Kocharian by a letter dated 10 April 2005.

Arinc stressed that the recommendation of the German parliament to include the so-called genocide in textbooks of German schools would cause prejudice against Turkish people in the minds of German youth.

Arinc also denounced the demand of the German parliament which asked the German government to help in urging Turks to apologize from Armenians. “It is impossible to explain such a demand of a parliament or government by taking into consideration the norms and principles of international relations. I wonder how the German people and parliament would react if the Turkish government adopted a decision urging the German government to do something regarding a third state,” Arinc asked.

“The German parliament has not referred to the views and documents of the Turkish side in its decision… [ellipses as received] It is impossible to qualify the deportation of Armenians who uprose against the Ottoman State during the First World War as genocide, under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention,” Arinc said.

“Parliaments don’t have the right to judge historical events, as such decisions don’t have any binding effect in respect of international human rights… [ellipses as received] No international organization including the UN had accepted a decision accepting the so-called Armenian genocide to date,” he said.

Arinc concluded his letter saying that the Turkish parliament condemned the decision of the German parliament.

Source: Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1455 gmt 22 Jun 05

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