"Davutoglu was confused"
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu was forced to come to grips with his past at the PACE today as he answered Armenian delegates' questions.
Reminding him that modern-day Turkey-the successor of the Ottoman Empire-committed a crime, occupied Western Armenia, Northern Cyprus, as well as other territories and deprived local residents of their lands, "Heritage" Party MP Zaruhi Postanjyan told the Turkish Foreign Minister:
"I am one of the representatives of those people. As a member of the CE Ministerial Committee, what are you doing to make Turkey come to grips with its past the first step of which is to recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide? What are you doing to lift Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code that Turkey adopted to conceal the 1915 Armenian Genocide?"
As Zaruhi Postanjyan told "A1+" from Strasbourg, Mr. Davutoglu evaded giving an answer. "At first, he was confused, then said that was not a question, but an accusatory remark and that historians should be involved with that issue. Davutoglu didn't even touch upon Article 301 of the Penal Code at all."
Representative of the Prosperous Armenia Party Naira Zohrabyan also delivered a speech and touched upon the eradication of Armenian khachkars (cross-stones) in Nor Julfa.
"When vandalists whose religious and political intolerance toward others' cultures leads to vandalism are not punished, it is hard for me to understand how we must promote respect toward different religions, different cultures and respect each other's heritage. Since 1998, the official Azerbaijan has been consistently eradicating the historical Armenian cemetery located in Julfa, Nakhichevan. In 2005, the ancient cemetery that was one of the exceptional cultural values of mankind was buried to the ground by Azerbaijani soldiers and turned into a military base."
Mrs. Zohrabyan reminded the PACE delegates that the Azerbaijani vandalists have not only buried the unique cross-stones of the historical cemetery to the ground, but have also eradicated other cultural monuments. "In 2006, the European Court condemned the events that took place in Julfa and called on Azerbaijan to put an end to the eradication of Medieval cemeteries and the historical cross-stones in Nakhichevan and even journalist Idrak Abasov of Azerbaijani origin from the War and Peace Institute visited the Julfa cemetery and registered that it had been completely eradicated."
The Armenian delegate called on the PACE to stay true to its resolutions and send an observatory mission to Julfa.
Mrs. Zohrabyan also addressed the issue of the Holy Akhtamar Church. "When the Turkish government restores the Holy Cross Monastery of Akhtamar to create an image of a democratic country, but prohibits the placement of a cross, that is just an imitation and a brilliant example of religious intolerance."
Zaruhi Postanjyan also informed "A1+" that she had prepared a statement that condemned Azerbaiyan's ongoing violations of the ceasefire regime and the Azerbaijani government's belligerent declarations. There are already 24 signatures, but 20 signatures are required for the statement to be released at the PACE. The statement will be released on behalf of the Armenian delegation to the PACE.
