Ankara, Yerevan to sign paper - report
Armenians in the United States have appealed to
President Barack Obama and the House of Representatives, the lower
chamber of the US legislature, ahead of Obama`s visit to Turkey
scheduled for April, requesting them to reconsider the issue of the
alleged World War I-era genocide.
They claim that it is time for the newly-elected US president, who pledged to ensure recognition of the purported genocide to the Armenian lobby while on the campaign trail, to keep that promise. The appeal further maintained that Obama should term the 1915 developments in Turkey as genocide in his speech on April 24, the day considered by Armenians to be the date marking what they call mass killings of their countrymen in the Ottoman Empire.
However, the Turkish government does not appear concerned over the "genocide" issue. Thus, the local media has published reports claiming the country`s border with Armenia, which is currently closed due to historical tensions, will open up by April 24. Turkey`s influential Star newspaper, known for maintaining close ties with the country`s ruling AK party, has said that Ankara and Yerevan are due to sign an agreement on normalizing relations by that date. The report said that besides reopening the border, the paper covers restoration of trade ties and researching the alleged 1915 massacre by a joint commission of historians, a proposal repeatedly made by Turkey but shrugged off by Armenia. It also said the wording of the document would be revealed by April 24.
The source also said the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict is not the deciding pre-condition for the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations, adding that Baku is being informed, from time to time, about the course of talks underway between the two countries.
Armenia and Turkey have been at odds and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993 on Ankara`s insistence due to Armenia`s policy of occupation of Azerbaijani territory and Armenian genocide claims.
Observers note that during events in the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, Armenians had been involved in riots. They had taken up arms against Turkey and assisted Russia, one of Turkey`s enemies in WWI. To counter these actions, the Ottoman Empire decided to resettle the Armenians. However, during this process, Armenians claim that their ancestors were victims of genocide, while Ankara rejects the allegations and has repeatedly offered to jointly study the issue.
They claim that it is time for the newly-elected US president, who pledged to ensure recognition of the purported genocide to the Armenian lobby while on the campaign trail, to keep that promise. The appeal further maintained that Obama should term the 1915 developments in Turkey as genocide in his speech on April 24, the day considered by Armenians to be the date marking what they call mass killings of their countrymen in the Ottoman Empire.
However, the Turkish government does not appear concerned over the "genocide" issue. Thus, the local media has published reports claiming the country`s border with Armenia, which is currently closed due to historical tensions, will open up by April 24. Turkey`s influential Star newspaper, known for maintaining close ties with the country`s ruling AK party, has said that Ankara and Yerevan are due to sign an agreement on normalizing relations by that date. The report said that besides reopening the border, the paper covers restoration of trade ties and researching the alleged 1915 massacre by a joint commission of historians, a proposal repeatedly made by Turkey but shrugged off by Armenia. It also said the wording of the document would be revealed by April 24.
The source also said the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict is not the deciding pre-condition for the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations, adding that Baku is being informed, from time to time, about the course of talks underway between the two countries.
Armenia and Turkey have been at odds and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993 on Ankara`s insistence due to Armenia`s policy of occupation of Azerbaijani territory and Armenian genocide claims.
Observers note that during events in the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, Armenians had been involved in riots. They had taken up arms against Turkey and assisted Russia, one of Turkey`s enemies in WWI. To counter these actions, the Ottoman Empire decided to resettle the Armenians. However, during this process, Armenians claim that their ancestors were victims of genocide, while Ankara rejects the allegations and has repeatedly offered to jointly study the issue.
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