ISTANBUL (Marmara)–Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem announced over the weekend–that Turkey will continue asking for visas from citizens of Armenia wanting to enter Turkey–reported the Istanbul-based Marmara Armenian newspaper.
Cem also said that Armenia must end it erroneous policies against Turkey.
In response to a questions about Thursday’s last-minute withdrawal of the Armenian Genocide resolution from consideration by the House of Representatives–Cem said that he was pleased that the US–from the onset of the matter–undertook a "careful" and "positive" policy toward the matter.
"We–too–succeeded in adopting good policies," said Cem–adding that there is no room for self-criticism–since his ministry worked very hard.
The foreign minister added that he and his ministry will work on future resolution from a political perspectives–and the historical aspects of the issue will have to ironed out by historians–said Cem.
The genocide resolution issue demonstrated that Turkish policies which hit at the strategic relations between US and Turkey paid off–Cem commented.
Meanwhile–the chairman of the Turkish Human Rights Organization–during a conference in Germany–announced that Turkey must apologize to Armenia’s for the Genocide issue–Marmara reported Monday.
During the conference dedicated to human rights–as part of "Inter-Cultural Week" in Bremerhaven–Germany–Birdal said that Turkey continues to create enemies for itself. He pointed out that during the Soviet era–its enemy was Communism–"then the Armenia’s–the Greeks–and late the Kurds."
The Turkish human rights activist pointed out that "Turkey needs peace–like it needs bread and water. Everyone knows what has been undertaken against the Armenia’s. Turkey must apologize to Armenia’s for the Genocide committed against them–as well as for atrocities committed against other minorities."