TURKEY’S FOREIGN MINISTRY PROVIDES INTERNET SERVICE ON GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS

TDN, Monday, April 10, 2006

Diplomacy

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said his ministry's efforts to provide accurate information refuting Armenian genocide allegations via the Internet were attracting much attention.

In response to a written inquiry from opposition Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) Malatya deputy Mirac Akdogan, Gul said the goal of the information campaign was to counter "baseless genocide allegations" and provide the world with factual historical information.

Gul said the parliaments of 18 countries had passed resolutions recognizing the alleged genocide and added that those countries were informed of Ankara's negative reaction via diplomatic channels.

Several parliaments, including those of France, Canada and Poland, have passed resolutions backing Armenian genocide claims. There has been strong pressure from Armenians worldwide for the U.S. Congress to recognize their allegations as well. None of the governments of European Union countries -- except France -- have endorsed any decision recognizing allegations of genocide against Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Gul said Turkey reviewed its relations with the countries that passed resolutions recognizing genocide allegations and, as a result of Ankara's negative reaction, certain planned joint activities with those countries were suspended.

The foreign minister also said the ministry was following any publications supporting the Armenian theses.

"There are more than 1 million Web sites in languages other than Turkish with regard to the Armenian question. If one takes into account the Armenian diaspora's efforts to broadcast in almost every language for propaganda purposes, it will take a long time to determine the exact number of publications in languages other than Turkish," he added.

"There are approximately 450,000 Web sites that support the Armenian theses and transmit in foreign languages, especially English, French, German, Italian and Spanish," Gul said.

Turkey categorically denies Armenian allegations that some 1.5 million Armenians were killed as part of a genocide campaign in eastern Anatolia during World War I and is calling for an objective scientific study of the issue to refute the claims.

Facing a mounting Armenian campaign to get international recognition for the alleged genocide, Turkey called for a joint committee of Turkish and Armenian experts last year to study the allegations. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to
Armenian President Robert Kocharian proposing the establishment of such a committee. Erdogan's proposal was turned down by Kocharian, who instead offered an intergovernmental commission to study ways to resolve problems between the two neighboring countries.