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Turkish FM: Knesset's decision to discuss "Armenian genocide" doomed to failure

Türkiye Materials 29 April 2010 16:40 (UTC +04:00)
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the Israeli Parliament Knesset's decision to accept a proposal to discuss the Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915, was an attempt expected to fail like previous ones, the World Bulletin web site reported with reference to Anadolu news agency.
Turkish FM: Knesset's decision to discuss "Armenian genocide" doomed to failure

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the Israeli Parliament Knesset's decision to accept a proposal to discuss the Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915, was an attempt expected to fail like previous ones, the World Bulletin web site reported with reference to Anadolu news agency.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Burak Ozugurgun, commented at a weekly press conference on Knesset's decision to accept the leader of Meretz Party Haim Oron's proposal to debate the Armenian allegations regarding the 1915 incidents as genocide.

The question on the" genocide "was discussed by the Left parties faction represented in the Knesset. The Left parties meeting involved about 20 members, of whom 12 voted for the decision and eight - against. The meeting made decision to consider it at the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Ozugurgun who pointed out that similar proposals were discussed at Knesset in the past said, "We expect such attempts to fail like the examples in the past."

"Not just the Israeli Parliament. But Turkey's views on judgement of history by parliamentarians, in general, are well known. It is better to leave interpretation of history to historians," Ozugurgun said.

Armenia claims that the Ottoman Empire committed "genocide" against Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. Making greater efforts to promote the issue internationally, Armenians have achieved its recognition by parliaments in some countries.

Despite this, Turkish Foreign Ministry Adviser Firudin Siniroglu will visit Israel in early May 2.

Sinirlioglu will discuss with Israel the reasons for the recent deterioration of relations between the two countries after the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip last winter, as well as ways to resume Palestinian-Israeli negotiations and facilitate Turkey's mediation in the indirect peace talks between Syria and Israel.

The two countries held political consultations in January in Ankara with the participation of Israeli Foreign Ministry Adviser Yossi Gal.

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