Turkey halts construction of `Reconciliation Monument`
Construction of the "monument of reconciliation"
with Armenians in Turkey`s historic city of Gars, located on the
border between the two countries, has been stopped.
The decision was made after a lawsuit was filed by the Nationalist Movement Party (NMP).
Ogtay Aktas, a member of the party, told journalists that the case had originally been brought to court in 2005. Although the court had then ordered a halt of construction to the monument, the ruling had not been enforced. Afterwards, the NMP filed enforcement pleas four times, and now construction has been halted.
Hasan Zeynalov, the Azerbaijani chief consul in Gars, said the reason for the measure was Armenians` persistent hostility toward Azerbaijan and Turkey.
He noted that the Turkey-Armenia border would not open up and normal relations between the two countries were out of the question until the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict is resolved.
"Turkish officials have repeatedly said that restoring relations with Armenia is possible only after the Garabagh conflict is settled, Armenia pulls out of the occupied Azerbaijani territories and relinquishes its genocide and territorial claims against Turkey," noted Zeynalov.
The resumption of construction operations on the site, which had been suspended by the Turkish government several times, was made possible due to the efforts by pro-Armenian forces. Construction work on the edifice, which was being built by architect Mehmet Aksoy, was close to completion. The 32-meter monument displays a hand being extended to Armenia and other elements signifying reconciliation.
The decision was made after a lawsuit was filed by the Nationalist Movement Party (NMP).
Ogtay Aktas, a member of the party, told journalists that the case had originally been brought to court in 2005. Although the court had then ordered a halt of construction to the monument, the ruling had not been enforced. Afterwards, the NMP filed enforcement pleas four times, and now construction has been halted.
Hasan Zeynalov, the Azerbaijani chief consul in Gars, said the reason for the measure was Armenians` persistent hostility toward Azerbaijan and Turkey.
He noted that the Turkey-Armenia border would not open up and normal relations between the two countries were out of the question until the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict is resolved.
"Turkish officials have repeatedly said that restoring relations with Armenia is possible only after the Garabagh conflict is settled, Armenia pulls out of the occupied Azerbaijani territories and relinquishes its genocide and territorial claims against Turkey," noted Zeynalov.
The resumption of construction operations on the site, which had been suspended by the Turkish government several times, was made possible due to the efforts by pro-Armenian forces. Construction work on the edifice, which was being built by architect Mehmet Aksoy, was close to completion. The 32-meter monument displays a hand being extended to Armenia and other elements signifying reconciliation.
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