“It is not possible for Turkey to share some expressions of US President George W. Bush in his statement released on 24 April. On the other hand, the reference to creation of joint commissions is positive,” said Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan. “History can only be written and assessed on the basis of official documents. The archives are a source,” he noted. The disputed part of Turkish-Armenian common history can only be researched on scientific aspect, and the assessments can be made under the results of these studies, he added. “Thus, Turkey’s proposal to Armenia to investigate incidents before and after 1915 by a joint historical commission and to inform the populations on the results shed light on this period of history and normalize the relations between the two countries,” Tan said, the Yerkir newspaper reports.
To remind, during his annual speech on April 24 George W. Bush specifically said, “Today, we remember one of the horrible tragedies of the 20th century – the mass killings and forced exile of as many as 1.5 million Armenians in the final days of the Ottoman Empire in 1915. This was a tragedy for all humanity and one that we and the world must never forget. We mourn this terrible chapter of history and recognize that it remains a source of pain for people in Armenia and for all those who believe in freedom, tolerance, and the dignity and value of every human life. It is a credit to the human spirit and generations of Armenians who live in Armenia, America, and around the globe that they have overcome this suffering and proudly preserved their centuries-old culture, traditions, and religion. We praise the individuals in Armenia and Turkey who have sought to examine the historical events of this time with honesty and sensitivity. The analysis by the International Center for Transitional Justice, while not the final word, has made a significant contribution toward deepening our understanding of these events. We encourage dialogues, including through joint commissions, that strive for a shared understanding of these tragic events and move Armenia and Turkey towards normalized relations. Today, we look with hope to a bright future for Armenia. Armenia’s Millennium Challenge Compact reflects our confidence and the importance we place in Armenia making progress on democratic reform and advancement of free markets. We seek to help Armenia bolster its security and deepen its inclusion in the Euro-Atlantic family. We remain committed to securing a peaceful and lasting settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and hope the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take bold steps to achieve this goal. On this solemn day of remembrance, Laura and I express our deepest condolences to the Armenian people. Our nations stand together, determined to create a future of peace, prosperity, and freedom for the citizens of our countries and the world.” We also note that in spite of the urge of US Congressmen, Bush again avoided the phrase Armenian Genocide to properly acknowledge the mass destruction of the Armenian population in Ottoman Turkey in 1915.
