MPs from Turkey's Main Opposition party, CHP, condemned Wednesday the campaign launched to apologize from Armenians for the incidents of 1915.
Parliamentarians of Republican's People's Party (CHP) who hold seats at the foreign relations committee of the Turkish Parliament, released a communique saying that Turkey had nothing to apologize for regarding 1915 incidents. The Internet campaign coincides with a diplomatic rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia to end almost 100 years of hostility.
"The claim that Turkey committed a crime in those years, requiring an apology has no legal or historical foundation. If there is someone who needs to apologize, it is the Armenian side, who attacked Turkish soldiers and killed hundreds of thousands of Turkish citizens while siding with and supporting a foreign country on an attempt to invade Ottoman territory," said the communique. Turkey accepts that many Armenians were killed during the waning years of the Ottoman state, but strongly denies Armenian claims it was genocide, saying that Armenians also killed Muslim Turks.
The apology describes the events as a great catastrophe.
The Parliamentarians also said the Armenians also needed to apologize for massacring thousands of Azerbaijani citizens, invading Azerbaijani territory and forcing one million of its citizens to exile. They also said Armenians needed to apologize for not prosecuting and punishing ASALA terrorists who assassinated Turkish diplomats.
"While these facts remain, the attempt to apologize from Armenians has been rather an act violating the homage we owe to our history and ancestors, and one that hurts the honour of the Turkish Nation," said the communique. Organisers said the initiative, posted on the Internet along with a non-binding petition to gather signatures, was meant to allow Turks to offer a personal apology and to end an official silence.
President Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish leader to visit Armenia in September as Turkey has sought to improve ties. Several meetings between Turkish and Armenian officials have followed and the two countries have expressed hopes of restoring full diplomatic relations soon.
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