Chutluck
23.03.05, 10:33
PRESS RELEASE
March 22, 2005
ATAA REGRETS ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF THE OTTOMAN ARMENIAN ISSUE
In his March 10, 2005 statement Vardan Oskanian, the foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, rejected the idea of a joint Armenian-Turkish study of the alleged 1915 genocide. The statement came after an earlier call by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 8, 2005 for "an impartial study" of the events.
Mr. Vural Cengiz, the President of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations expressed his disappointment, saying, “Once again, this demonstrates Armenia’s unwillingness to engage in a constructive dialogue that could promote mutual understanding between Turkey and Armenia on this important historical issue.”
Previous attempts to engage Armenia in a dialogue on this highly sensitive historic issue were also unsuccessful. Earlier this year, an initiative by four Austrian historians to create a neutral platform for scientific investigation of this question failed because the Armenian side, after the initial exchange of historic documents, refused to continue the dialogue by confirming its participation in the “First Viennese Armenian-Turkish Round Table" (FVATR Vienna 2005), planned for spring 2005.
ATAA deeply regrets the uncooperative stance taken by the Armenian government. The “First Viennese Armenian Turkish Round Table" was a historic opportunity for Turkey and Armenia to jointly and peacefully explore the tragic events of 1915. An understanding of this very delicate historical issue could be attained only after a full examination of all pertinent historical facts. To this end, ATAA calls on the governments of Armenia and other countries in possession of relevant historical documents, to open their archives and allow a full scientific assessment.
www.ataa.org
March 22, 2005
ATAA REGRETS ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF THE OTTOMAN ARMENIAN ISSUE
In his March 10, 2005 statement Vardan Oskanian, the foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, rejected the idea of a joint Armenian-Turkish study of the alleged 1915 genocide. The statement came after an earlier call by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 8, 2005 for "an impartial study" of the events.
Mr. Vural Cengiz, the President of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations expressed his disappointment, saying, “Once again, this demonstrates Armenia’s unwillingness to engage in a constructive dialogue that could promote mutual understanding between Turkey and Armenia on this important historical issue.”
Previous attempts to engage Armenia in a dialogue on this highly sensitive historic issue were also unsuccessful. Earlier this year, an initiative by four Austrian historians to create a neutral platform for scientific investigation of this question failed because the Armenian side, after the initial exchange of historic documents, refused to continue the dialogue by confirming its participation in the “First Viennese Armenian-Turkish Round Table" (FVATR Vienna 2005), planned for spring 2005.
ATAA deeply regrets the uncooperative stance taken by the Armenian government. The “First Viennese Armenian Turkish Round Table" was a historic opportunity for Turkey and Armenia to jointly and peacefully explore the tragic events of 1915. An understanding of this very delicate historical issue could be attained only after a full examination of all pertinent historical facts. To this end, ATAA calls on the governments of Armenia and other countries in possession of relevant historical documents, to open their archives and allow a full scientific assessment.
www.ataa.org