Turkish PM: There was no Armenian genocide

Sep 29, 2007
Jerusalem Post, Israel
By MICHAL LANDO, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT
NEW YORK

Isn't this a big surprise that the Turkish PM denies the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Turks? The whole issue by Turkey's PR is to change the fact of the Armenian genocide into a debate. It is also so clear how the pressure put by Turkey on Israel and the US is allowing Erdogan to deny the genocide with impunity. The genocide denial is a matter for all people. It is not a question between Armenia and Turkey. So please stop pulling the wool on the eyes of the readers.

In a meeting with representatives of the Jewish community, Turkey's prime minister rejected allegations that the massacre of Armenians during WWI was an act of genocide.

Speaking with officials from the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Congress and other groups, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the genocide claims were not supported by any scientific or historical documentation.

Erdogan also reiterated Turkey's call to Armenia to establish a joint commission to study historical facts, and asked the Jewish representatives to continue to support good relations between Turkey and the US Jewish community, according to a statement released following the meeting.

After disagreement between its New England chapter and national headquarters, the ADL in August recognized the massacres of Armenians as "tantamount to genocide," reversing the organization's longstanding refusal to do so. ADL's recognition stopped short of supporting two congressional resolutions that would call on the US to formally recognize the genocide.

ADL national director Abraham Foxman reiterated Wednesday that the issue should not be the subject of congressional resolution, according to MSNBC.

"We believe that a matter between Turkey and Armenia related to history should be tackled between the two parties, not in the US Congress or the parliament of any other country," he said. "This is not a political matter and those in the Congress are not historians."

"I believe that we should focus on the future, not the past. If the Jewish community, the United States and the Congress are willing to assist, they should bring together Turkey and Armenia for the [sake of the] grandchildren of the two parties," Foxman said.

ADL's national policy-making body is expected to discuss the congressional resolutions at its annual meeting on November 1.

Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.