ANKARA (Anatolia News Agency)—Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey was ready to confront its history only if that history was taken up in an objective and fair way.
“Historians should be involved in the process and an intellectual foundation for discussion in which all archives are opened should be ensured,” Davutoglu said during a meeting in Ankara.
Davutoglu said Turkey was reacting to France because it had taken a step that made such an intellectual foundation of discussion impossible.
“We hope France will fulfill its mission in the [OSCE] Minsk Group instead of assuming such position, and help a fair peace in the Caucasus,” he said, which he said would pave the way for normalization of relations with Armenia.
Foreign Minister Davutoglu’s remarks came after Thursday’s vote at the lower house of the French Parliament, which adopted a resolution that makes the denial of the Armenian Genocide a crime, punishable by law. The measure requires senate approval.
Swiss Foreign Minister Calls for Genocide Commission
Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey on Monday called for the establishment of a commission of historians to discuss the Armenian Genocide.
Speaking at a conference of ambassadors in Ankara, Calmy Rey said “the historians would then contribute to discussions with their findings.”
Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey’s call for establishment of commission of historians to discuss the Armenian Genocide means that Switzerland is clarifying a point that counters Armenian FM’s insistence that Genocide discussion is not a condition. The wording about this in the protocols is as such that co-sponsors can easily say “that’s what is meant”. The proof: even before the ratification of the Protocols the Swiss FM is in fact saying just that.
After 96 years of denial and persecution, what is there to discuss???? The Genocide historians already came to a fair conclusion in spite of turkish treats and obstructions. Turks by now have most of their archive cleansed, just like Anatolia, of lot of evidence, and now they are ready for more research by historians? For how many more years. Most, if not all of direct survivors are gone…
The same Turkey did blackmail Siwss many time what Turkey now is doing is nothing but self-deception- as if for Swiss Armenian Genocide were not an historical fact!
After issuing threats against EU parliamentarians, turkey – instead to condom all criminal actions against French politicians- is trying to mislead once again the world community!
Turkish politicians are well aware of the fact of Armenian Genocide. If not. still there are courageous Turkish historians who could tell Turkish politicians the whole truth therefore nobody is against a join Turkish-Turkish historian commission (including Turkish palace historians)
I am sure if today there were an “international historian commission” Turkish nationalist – with blessing of Turkish government and help of Turkish secret service – not only would issue threats but they would try to take family members of all those historian who would speak about the fact of Armenian Genocide!
Maybe Germany could help Turkey like during the Armenian genocide in 1915/1916, since a part of German press and German Politeness are acting still in an opportune way, as if nothing happened to Armenian people and as if free speech means agreeing to Turkish denial policy!!
Turks have the same policy and the same tune ! leaders in Turkey come and go with the same games of denials ,,
in the 80s Kenan Evren once said if the Armenians thinks by assassinating Turkish diplomats they *the Armenians*
will get their lands back ..they are wrong ! we got all their lands by force and blood …Armenians can only get it back by force . Kenaan Evran ( so far we got Artsakh by force but all Turks cray ) ,,, now in the last few decades all we hear Turks opened their archives ,, can any body think or guaranty that the Turks did not clean or destroyed all the evidence of the crimes ,,, who is behind the Turks ? who is encouraging the Turks to play DENIAL ???
when all this dirty games orchestrated by USA will ends ??? SHAME ON USA SHAME ON OBAMA !!
Viva la France Viva la France Viva la France !!!
No, Mr. Davutoglu, Turkey is not ready to confront its past. It is not what Turkey would like to think of itself that matters, but what others KNOW of its past that matters. Turkey cannot know, much less confront, its past while it denies freedom of speech and of the press.
Our ancestors deserve it from us to fight on folklore justice is served we want a simple apology with our churches and lands returned that’d all mush,sassoun,van, must be returned god bless our ancestors justice will be served.
Bad idea having it in Turkey! The historians who proclaimed genocide would be arrested by Article 301!
How can Turkey possibly have an honest debate about anything when the word “Genocide” has been criminalized by law!!! The International Association of Genocide Scholars has already issued several statements as to the consistent opinion of the full body of Genocide Scholarship.
That will be thee DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obviously Turkey has no other alternative but eventually will admit the massacre of 1.1/2 million Armenians as Genocide. Mr.Davutoglu (son of David), I don’t think it is necessary for you to approach historians, the entire world is well aware of such an inhuman crime committed by your Ottoman Empire. To civilized countries such a huge killings of Christians is considered Criminal Empire. Therefore, reconsider your childish suggestion of calling on historians to explain it to you the evil act of your past rulers’ cruelty.
turks are like a rabid dog,even the dog lovers and fanciers,wont pet them.
the question is when turkey will accept the armenian genocide ? & not if
Genociders,animals,mongols,liars,illiterates,pigs,two-faces.After careful examination with all benevolence,I find that these adjectives describe the turks one hundred twenty percent.
why do they keep bring up that ALL archives need to be opened, insinuating that Armenian archives are not out in the open and theirs are? I’m pretty sure it’s the other way around and has been for almost a century!
Armenia has nothing to hide when it comes to the events of the genocide — Turkey has EVERYTHING to hide.
i feel sorry for their brainwashed people and how stupid they look for buying into all this government-sanctioned crap. they probably laugh at north koreans not realizing how blindly they lap up the excrement of their own government.
that sounded a bit harsh/disgusting but i’m going to leave it.
Turkey is the only country in the world where History belongs to an official governmental department. History from 1915 onward in Turkey is not History, it is Politic. Dear Turkey the genocide you committed is a fact and need no discussions espescially since you distroyed all the evidences in your Archives, and adopted a law that whoever speaks about Armenian Genocide in Turkey is put in jail in compliance with your infamous Art.301. And you dare criticizing France?! from which you still have a lot and a lot to learn. The Turkish Republic founder fathers where all former criminals of the CUP, perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide. Are you ready to say that Mustafa Abdulhalik, Tahsin Uzher, Inonu (Enver’s right arm) etc all pioneers of Modern Turkey where criminals whith on their hands the blood of the Armenians? Are you ready to destroy the statutes of Mehmet Talaat, Halide Edipe, Goklap etc… you still too far from that since you still live in your world of lies and falsification. Do not believe the world is fool, International Archives are full of evidences we do not need to proove what you did it is already proven, this year the vatican archives will also be available to your historians at least so they can study and understand what happened.
You are RIGHT!
It has been almost sixty years that the Turks have been suggesting this. I wonder if we Armenians have the scholars who are knowledgeable on the subject to detect purges from their records and also who is going to finance this study. I am curious as to what evidence the Turks will bring that all these planned, premeditated and organized mass killings were actually an unfortunate incidental result of their war with Russia and whether their documents represent a seamless, continuous and consistent account. It’s not that easy to purge parts from the whole but it takes a lot of scholarly work both to hide it and to detect it.
I am not certain what is there to discuss, The Turkish government has made up its mind,, and if you do not agree with their mindset,.. no discussion… you are a criminal!, Turkey’s posture alone tells you a lot.. as to how they think they can solve the problem, If they thought they have nothing to hide, they would never take the position they have taken,. Criminalize the discussion of the Genocide.
I am not certain what is there to discuss, Turkey is not ready to discuss anything.
Even the civilized Turks who live in Europe have come to the conclusion & agree on the facts that Turkey did commit genocide in 1915, despite of all this they threaten there own people living in Europe for saying such facts to there own government, more over they are threatening France & Europe, hahahahaha every one can see what stupid fools they are.
We Armenians don’t need any evidence from Turkish archive, Turkey can put his evidence in his own ass, cause we have our own evidence, more over the whole world has evidence on Turkeys genocide in 1915, Turkey should understand that he can never get away from the facts, & the Armenian people will never sit down no matter how long it takes & what it takes we are always ready to the last drop of blood.