‘Massacres of Armenians Not Reflected in History Books’: Words Spoken in Turkey’s Parliament
On October 21, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu addressed Turkey’s Grand National Assembly by presenting the Armenian-Turkish Protocols and the Turkish foreign ministry’s activities toward that effect.
The Turkish foreign minister particularly emphasized that this was the first serious step in Armenian-Turkish relations in the past 17 years.
He stated that signing of the Protocols was a very important step to establish peace with Armenia as well as for the entire South Caucasus region. There are many conflicts in the South Caucasus and, according to Davutoglu, the South Ossetia war last year showed that it is impossible to continue in this way.
Turkey wishes for peace in the region, the foreign minister said.
After the speech, numerous questions were directed to Davutoglu. There were also dissatisfied members of parliament who spoke against the Armenian-Turkish Protocols. In particular, Republican People’s Party member Shukru Elekdag expressed his discontent by reiterating his party leader, Deniz Baykal’s, tenet that Turkey is losing Azerbaijan.
Pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party MP Selahetin Demirtash, for his part, stated that his party is for Armenian-Turkish relations. At the same time, he raised a number of points related to the Armenian issue.
Demirtash stated that there were times in Turkey’s history when the word “Armenian” was used as a curse. “We must remember that,” Demirtash said, adding that so far the Turkish government hasn’t implemented relevant security measures, as it became apparent in the case of Hrant Dink’s murder.
As reported by Tert.am’s correspondent from Turkey, Demirtash made one more interesting statement. ”The massacres of Armenians were not reflected in our history books,” the member of the parliament stated, adding that history textbooks must refrain from discrimination. He said that the Turkish public will live in an atmosphere of fraternity when “the universal language of peace” will be reflected in history.
Source: Tert – Original Article
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