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Turkey Extends Condolences to Armenian People
MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti) – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered unprecedented condolences to the Armenian people in a statement published on his official website Wednesday.
"It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren," Erdoğan said in the statement.
The prime minister’s remarks were unprecedented, as such a commiseration message with the Armenian people on behalf of the Turkish state has never been sent in the past.
Erdoğan stressed the importance of freedom of expression and the respect of plurality regarding the understanding of historical processes.
The statement was issued a day before the 99th anniversary of the Armenian tragedy. Armenia and Turkey have different views on the mass deaths of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, which Armenians consider a genocide, while Turkey clams the killings should be understood in the context of the war.
Earlier this month, a US resolution recognizing the killings of Armenians during the war as genocide passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but failed to pass the procedural hurdles needed to bring it to a vote by the full Senate.
===========================================================
Turkey’s Erdogan offers condolences for 1915 Armenia killings
By Jonny Hogg
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan offered what the government said were unprecedented condolences on Wednesday to the grandchildren of Armenians killed in World War One by Ottoman soldiers.
In a statement issued on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the deeply contested deaths, Erdogan unexpectedly described the events of 1915 as “inhumane”, using more conciliatory language than has often been the case for Turkish leaders.
Turkish government officials said it was the first time a Turkish prime minister had offered such explicit condolences and described the statement as a historic step, but Erdogan’s words were dismissed as “cold-hearted and cynical” by an influential US-based Armenian advocacy group.
The exact nature and scale of what happened during fighting that started in 1915 is highly contentious and continues to sour relations between Turkey and Armenia, a former Soviet republic.
Turkey accepts that many Armenians died in clashes, but denies that up to 1.5 million were killed and that this constituted an act of genocide – a term used by many Western historians and foreign parliaments.
Earlier in April, for example, a US Senate committee resolution branded the massacre of Armenians as genocide.
Erdogan’s statement – unusually released in nine different languages including Armenian – repeated previous calls for dialogue between the two countries, and the setting up of a historical commission to probe events surrounding the killings.
“It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren,” he said.
“Having experienced events which had inhumane consequences – such as relocation – during the First World War, should not prevent Turks and Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes among towards one another.”
ON THE DEFENSIVE
Although striking a conciliatory tone, Erdogan re-iterated a long-held Turkish position that the deaths of millions of people during the violence of the period should be remembered “without discriminating as to religion or ethnicity”.
Turkey is a Muslim state, while Armenia is Christian.
“Using the events of 1915 as an excuse for hostility against Turkey and turning this issue into a matter of political conflict is inadmissible,” he added.
Armenia has up to now declined the offer for a joint historical commission, as it regards the alleged genocide as an established historical fact and believes Turkey would use such a commission to press its own version of events.
Armenia accuses the Ottoman authorities at the time of systematically massacring large numbers of Armenians, then deporting many more, including women, children and the elderly and infirm in terrible conditions on so-called death marches.
The executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America said that Turkey was increasingly isolated over its version of what happened in 1915.
“Ankara is repackaging its genocide denials,” Aram Hamparian said in response to Erdogan’s remarks. “The fact remains that, as this cold-hearted and cynical ploy so plainly demonstrates, Turkey is, today, escalating its denial of truth and obstruction of justice for the Armenian Genocide.”
No one from the Armenian government was immediately available to comment. Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan is due to address the nation on Thursday morning during an annual “genocide” day speech.
Last December, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made Turkey’s first high-level visit to Armenia in nearly five years, raising the prospect of a revival in peace efforts between the historical rivals which stalled in 2010.
Turkey cut ties and shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan, which was then fighting a losing battle against Armenian separatists in Karabakh. The frontier remains closed.
======================================================================
Turkey calls WWI Armenian killings 'shared pain'
ANKARA, TURKEY — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday offered an unprecedented, conciliatory message to Armenians on the eve of the anniversary of the massacre of Armenians almost a century ago.
Erdogan called the events of World War I "our shared pain" and acknowledged that the deportation of Armenians in 1915 had "inhumane consequences."
Erdogan released a statement in Turkish, Armenian and seven other languages, expressing hope that those killed are in peace and offering Turkey's condolences to their descendants. The message came a day before Armenians mark the 99th anniversary of the killings in 1915 by Ottoman Turks.
The episode is considered by many historians as the first genocide of the 20th century. They estimate that about 1.5 million Armenians died. Turkey rejects the term genocide, saying those figures are inflated and there were deaths on both sides as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.
Erdogan, in his message, acknowledged that the deportations had dire consequences, but did not use the term "genocide." He said millions of people "of all religions and ethnicities" lost their lives during the war.
"The incidents of the First World War are our shared pain," Erdogan's message read.
The Armenian National Committee of America dismissed Erdogan's statement as "simply 99 years of genocide denial repackaged."
"Mr. Erdogan's statement ... is a patently transparent attempt to mute international condemnation and calls for justice for the centrally planned and systematically executed campaign of murder and deportation," the group said.
Erdogan said the events should not prevent "Turks and Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes toward one another."
"Using the events of 1915 as an excuse for hostility against Turkey and turning this issue into a matter of political conflict is inadmissible," Erdogan said.
Erdogan also renewed a Turkish proposal for a joint study of the events involving scholars from both nations.
================================================================
Erdogan Offers Unexpected Condolences for Armenian Killings
Reuters
April 23, 2014 9:21 AM
ANKARA — Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan offered what the government said were unprecedented condolences on Wednesday to the grandchildren of Armenians killed in World War I by Ottoman soldiers.
In a statement issued on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the deeply contested deaths, Erdogan unexpectedly described the events of 1915 as “inhumane”, using more conciliatory language than has often been the case for Turkish leaders.
A Turkish government official said it was the first time a Turkish prime minister had offered such explicit condolences, but it was not immediately clear if it would be enough to bring about a thaw in relations between Ankara and its neighbor.
The exact nature and scale of what happened during fighting that started in 1915 is highly contentious and continues to sour relations between Turkey and Armenia, a former Soviet republic.
Turkey accepts that many Armenians died in clashes, but denies that up to 1.5 million were killed and that this constituted an act of genocide - a term used by many Western historians and foreign parliaments.
Earlier in April, for example, a U.S. Senate committee resolution branded the massacre of Armenians as genocide.
Erdogan's statement - unusually released in nine different languages including Armenian - repeated previous calls for dialog between the two countries, and the setting up of a historical commission to probe events surrounding the killings.
“It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren,” he said.
“Having experienced events which had inhumane consequences - such as relocation - during the First World War, should not prevent Turks and Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes among towards one another.”
On the defensive
Although striking a conciliatory tone, Erdogan re-iterated a longheld Turkish position that the deaths of millions of people during the violence of the period should be remembered “without discriminating as to religion or ethnicity”.
Turkey is a Muslim state, while Armenia is Christian.
“Using the events of 1915 as an excuse for hostility against Turkey and turning this issue into a matter of political conflict is inadmissible,” he added.
Armenia has up to now declined the offer for a joint historical commission, as it regards the alleged genocide as an established historical fact and believes Turkey would use such a commission to press its own version of events.
Armenia accuses the Ottoman authorities at the time of systematically massacring large numbers of Armenians, then deporting many more, including women, children and the elderly and infirm in terrible conditions on so-called death marches.
Last December, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made Turkey's first high-level visit to Armenia in nearly five years, raising the prospect of a revival in peace efforts between the historical rivals which stalled in 2010.
Turkey cut ties and shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan, which was then fighting a losing battle against Armenian separatists in Karabakh. The frontier remains closed.
MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti) – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered unprecedented condolences to the Armenian people in a statement published on his official website Wednesday.
"It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren," Erdoğan said in the statement.
The prime minister’s remarks were unprecedented, as such a commiseration message with the Armenian people on behalf of the Turkish state has never been sent in the past.
Erdoğan stressed the importance of freedom of expression and the respect of plurality regarding the understanding of historical processes.
The statement was issued a day before the 99th anniversary of the Armenian tragedy. Armenia and Turkey have different views on the mass deaths of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, which Armenians consider a genocide, while Turkey clams the killings should be understood in the context of the war.
Earlier this month, a US resolution recognizing the killings of Armenians during the war as genocide passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but failed to pass the procedural hurdles needed to bring it to a vote by the full Senate.
===========================================================
Turkey’s Erdogan offers condolences for 1915 Armenia killings
By Jonny Hogg
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan offered what the government said were unprecedented condolences on Wednesday to the grandchildren of Armenians killed in World War One by Ottoman soldiers.
In a statement issued on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the deeply contested deaths, Erdogan unexpectedly described the events of 1915 as “inhumane”, using more conciliatory language than has often been the case for Turkish leaders.
Turkish government officials said it was the first time a Turkish prime minister had offered such explicit condolences and described the statement as a historic step, but Erdogan’s words were dismissed as “cold-hearted and cynical” by an influential US-based Armenian advocacy group.
The exact nature and scale of what happened during fighting that started in 1915 is highly contentious and continues to sour relations between Turkey and Armenia, a former Soviet republic.
Turkey accepts that many Armenians died in clashes, but denies that up to 1.5 million were killed and that this constituted an act of genocide – a term used by many Western historians and foreign parliaments.
Earlier in April, for example, a US Senate committee resolution branded the massacre of Armenians as genocide.
Erdogan’s statement – unusually released in nine different languages including Armenian – repeated previous calls for dialogue between the two countries, and the setting up of a historical commission to probe events surrounding the killings.
“It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren,” he said.
“Having experienced events which had inhumane consequences – such as relocation – during the First World War, should not prevent Turks and Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes among towards one another.”
ON THE DEFENSIVE
Although striking a conciliatory tone, Erdogan re-iterated a long-held Turkish position that the deaths of millions of people during the violence of the period should be remembered “without discriminating as to religion or ethnicity”.
Turkey is a Muslim state, while Armenia is Christian.
“Using the events of 1915 as an excuse for hostility against Turkey and turning this issue into a matter of political conflict is inadmissible,” he added.
Armenia has up to now declined the offer for a joint historical commission, as it regards the alleged genocide as an established historical fact and believes Turkey would use such a commission to press its own version of events.
Armenia accuses the Ottoman authorities at the time of systematically massacring large numbers of Armenians, then deporting many more, including women, children and the elderly and infirm in terrible conditions on so-called death marches.
The executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America said that Turkey was increasingly isolated over its version of what happened in 1915.
“Ankara is repackaging its genocide denials,” Aram Hamparian said in response to Erdogan’s remarks. “The fact remains that, as this cold-hearted and cynical ploy so plainly demonstrates, Turkey is, today, escalating its denial of truth and obstruction of justice for the Armenian Genocide.”
No one from the Armenian government was immediately available to comment. Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan is due to address the nation on Thursday morning during an annual “genocide” day speech.
Last December, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made Turkey’s first high-level visit to Armenia in nearly five years, raising the prospect of a revival in peace efforts between the historical rivals which stalled in 2010.
Turkey cut ties and shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan, which was then fighting a losing battle against Armenian separatists in Karabakh. The frontier remains closed.
======================================================================
Turkey calls WWI Armenian killings 'shared pain'
ANKARA, TURKEY — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday offered an unprecedented, conciliatory message to Armenians on the eve of the anniversary of the massacre of Armenians almost a century ago.
Erdogan called the events of World War I "our shared pain" and acknowledged that the deportation of Armenians in 1915 had "inhumane consequences."
Erdogan released a statement in Turkish, Armenian and seven other languages, expressing hope that those killed are in peace and offering Turkey's condolences to their descendants. The message came a day before Armenians mark the 99th anniversary of the killings in 1915 by Ottoman Turks.
The episode is considered by many historians as the first genocide of the 20th century. They estimate that about 1.5 million Armenians died. Turkey rejects the term genocide, saying those figures are inflated and there were deaths on both sides as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.
Erdogan, in his message, acknowledged that the deportations had dire consequences, but did not use the term "genocide." He said millions of people "of all religions and ethnicities" lost their lives during the war.
"The incidents of the First World War are our shared pain," Erdogan's message read.
The Armenian National Committee of America dismissed Erdogan's statement as "simply 99 years of genocide denial repackaged."
"Mr. Erdogan's statement ... is a patently transparent attempt to mute international condemnation and calls for justice for the centrally planned and systematically executed campaign of murder and deportation," the group said.
Erdogan said the events should not prevent "Turks and Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes toward one another."
"Using the events of 1915 as an excuse for hostility against Turkey and turning this issue into a matter of political conflict is inadmissible," Erdogan said.
Erdogan also renewed a Turkish proposal for a joint study of the events involving scholars from both nations.
================================================================
Erdogan Offers Unexpected Condolences for Armenian Killings
Reuters
April 23, 2014 9:21 AM
ANKARA — Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan offered what the government said were unprecedented condolences on Wednesday to the grandchildren of Armenians killed in World War I by Ottoman soldiers.
In a statement issued on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the deeply contested deaths, Erdogan unexpectedly described the events of 1915 as “inhumane”, using more conciliatory language than has often been the case for Turkish leaders.
A Turkish government official said it was the first time a Turkish prime minister had offered such explicit condolences, but it was not immediately clear if it would be enough to bring about a thaw in relations between Ankara and its neighbor.
The exact nature and scale of what happened during fighting that started in 1915 is highly contentious and continues to sour relations between Turkey and Armenia, a former Soviet republic.
Turkey accepts that many Armenians died in clashes, but denies that up to 1.5 million were killed and that this constituted an act of genocide - a term used by many Western historians and foreign parliaments.
Earlier in April, for example, a U.S. Senate committee resolution branded the massacre of Armenians as genocide.
Erdogan's statement - unusually released in nine different languages including Armenian - repeated previous calls for dialog between the two countries, and the setting up of a historical commission to probe events surrounding the killings.
“It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren,” he said.
“Having experienced events which had inhumane consequences - such as relocation - during the First World War, should not prevent Turks and Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes among towards one another.”
On the defensive
Although striking a conciliatory tone, Erdogan re-iterated a longheld Turkish position that the deaths of millions of people during the violence of the period should be remembered “without discriminating as to religion or ethnicity”.
Turkey is a Muslim state, while Armenia is Christian.
“Using the events of 1915 as an excuse for hostility against Turkey and turning this issue into a matter of political conflict is inadmissible,” he added.
Armenia has up to now declined the offer for a joint historical commission, as it regards the alleged genocide as an established historical fact and believes Turkey would use such a commission to press its own version of events.
Armenia accuses the Ottoman authorities at the time of systematically massacring large numbers of Armenians, then deporting many more, including women, children and the elderly and infirm in terrible conditions on so-called death marches.
Last December, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made Turkey's first high-level visit to Armenia in nearly five years, raising the prospect of a revival in peace efforts between the historical rivals which stalled in 2010.
Turkey cut ties and shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan, which was then fighting a losing battle against Armenian separatists in Karabakh. The frontier remains closed.
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