ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
An international conference on the Armenian issue postponed after politicians condemned the conference and its participants for having ideas and beliefs against Turkey’s official stance on Armenian genocide allegations will convene in a few weeks.
Hrant Dink, editor in chief of the bilingual (Armenian-Turkish) Agos weekly, expressed hope that the conference would reflect a true image of Turkey, a country that has taken significant steps towards democratization.
“The cost of the postponement [of the conference] was high and unfair to Turkey because the anti-democratic image reflected by the debates at the time was not a true reflection of Turkey,” Dink told the Turkish Daily News. At the same time he confirmed that he had received an invitation to the conference slated for Sept. 23 to 25.
The postponement of the conference scheduled for May 25 consequently turned out to be a diplomatic issue for Turkey after Justice Minister Cemil Çiçek delivered harsh remarks on the domestic initiative, which dared question Turkey’s official position on the Armenian issue. Çiçek said in Parliament that the conference of Turkish historians was a “stab in the back for the Turkish people.”
“We must end this treason, the spreading of propaganda against Turkey by the people who are a part of it,” Çiçek had said.
The conference will serve as an opportunity for Turkey to repair the unfortunate consequences of the postponement, according to Dink.
Çiçek’s remarks, delivered in Parliament in his capacity as justice minister and government spokesman, were described by European diplomats as “shooting himself in the foot” and would “kill any support for Turkey’s European Union drive in Europe.”
A Turkey-based EU diplomat said following Çiçek’s remarks the Turkish government could well have a hard time explaining to the bloc that reforms for broadening freedom of expression in the country are still priorities.
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