TEHRAN (Combined Sources)–Recent remarks by Iran’s Vice President that the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against its Armenian population were “taken out of context and distorted” by the media, according to a statement released on Tuesday by Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization said in a statement.
Speaking at a conference last Wednesday, Iranian Vice President Hamid Baghaei characterized the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey during World War I as genocide. “A hundred years ago the Ottoman Government committed genocide against a certain number of Armenians,” Baghaei, who also heads the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, was quoted by IRNA as saying. “Although the Ottoman Government does not exist now, Armenians demand official apologies and restitution from Turkey.”
Baghaei’s reports, according to the statement by the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, however, “were no reported faithfully by some media organs,” the Anatolian News Agency reported Sunday.
“Baghaei, without making any analysis and without declaring a specific view, has pointed out that there is an issue like this between Turkey and Armenia,” the statement said
On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu telephoned his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, and demanded an explanation for Baghaei’s reported remarks.
Baghaei allegedly drew a parallel between the Armenian Genocide and the killing of Armenians decades earlier. Iranian officials later said Baghaei’s comments were taken out of context and that he was referring to World War II, not to World War I, and that Iran’s official position on the Armenians is identical to that of Turkey’s.
Last week, the Iranian Embassy in Ankara also released a statement saying that the remarks were not accurately quoted by several media outlets, and that Baghaei had only made a reference in his speech to the issue dividing Turkey and Armenia and did not take a position on the subject.
Iran has rattled Turkey’s cage, that’s enough. Turkey is like a criminal scared of getting caught and like every crimnial Turkey will eventually get caught. The longer this takes, the more stressful for Turkey. Turkey can never sleep peacefully. Everytime there is the issue of the Armenian Genocide raised at any corner of this world Turkey’s heart is going to beat faster and faster….not out of excitement but out of fear. Now just how many times and for how long Turkey is going to threaten the world leaders not to mention the Armenian Genocide. Politics is a messy business where loyalties play no part and everytime Turkey steps out of the line any country will bring the Armenian issues out on the table. Iranians know the facts about the A.G. This has been discussed by various people commenting on this issue. One day Turkey has to explain in all its sordid details why they committed this vile genocide against the Armenians. Who were the main players and why has it taken so long for them to face their vile past. When is Turkey going to mature up and face its history? How is Turkey going to ever hope of being an “honest” broker in the M.E.? How can ever Turkey hope in joining the EU? Turkey may find itself isolated and will feel like a cold Turkey and it’s not even Christmas yet!
This comes as no surprise to anyone who understands politics. It’s not as-if the vice-president is backing down on his words, it’s the ruling elite in Iran who have pressured the media to say this was a false statement. The statement about the armenian genocide WAS said-but Iran cant at this moment in time can’t publicly acknowledge the AG, they have much too lose from all the money turkey brings in. Lots of Iranian officials have said things like this before, and former Khatami layed a wreath at tzitzernakapert, they will always be ok with turkey, in my opinion, but will never backstab armenia as they will 1. want to see a too powerful turkey right next door. 2. They will never, ever allow turkey and azerbaijan to ‘officially’ connect, because this would mean the turks would help azerbaijan take northern part of Iran named ‘azerbaijan’. Please read here and share with friends/family.
http://forum.hyeclub.com/showthread.php?t=10663
Why …because it speaks facts!
And Iranians are suppose to be our friends?