ANKARA - Turkey`s President said on Friday that he helped secure many projects for Turkish companies by introducing Turkish businessmen to the leaders of countries he had visited.
Answering questions of journalists following Friday`s graduation ceremony at the TOBB Economy and Technology University in Ankara, President Abdullah Gul said that within this framework, he had introduced businessman Ahmet Calik to the Qatari amir in Syria`s capital of Damascus for energy projects.
-ACTS AGAINST TURKISH FLAG IN ARMENIA ARE DISRESPECTFUL-
Asked about what he thinks on the tramping of the Turkish flag in Armenia`s capital of Yerevan, Gul said that it was a shame on the people of Armenia to have committed such an act against the Turkish flag.
"It was Turkey that invited Armenia to the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). Turkey has contributions to the stability of the region. It is a shame for Armenians to have tramped the Turkish flag. Turkey and the people of Turkey have always displayed respect to the people and commanders of countries it fought against. The ceremonies held to mark the 93rd Anniversary of Canakkale Battles prove the Turks` respect," Gul also said.
Turkey has long been facing a systematic campaign of defamation carried out by Armenian lobbying groups. The Armenian diaspora has lately increased its organized activities throughout the world for the recognition of their unfounded allegations in regard to the events of 1915 as "genocide" by national and local parliaments.
Until today the parliaments of Argentina, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Lebanon, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Uruguay, Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration, Poland, Germany, Lithuania, Chile, Venezuela and the European Parliament passed either resolutions or issued statements. In addition, some local parliaments in the USA, Canada, Britain, Australia, Argentina and Switzerland passed similar resolutions.
Turkey is of the view that parliaments and other political institutions are not the appropriate fora to debate and pass judgments on disputed periods of history. Past events and controversial periods of history should be left to the historians for their dispassionate study and evaluation.
In 2005, Turkey has officially proposed to the government of Armenia the establishment of a joint commission of history composed of historians and other experts from both sides to study together the events of 1915 not only in the archives of Turkey and Armenia but also in the archives of all relevant third countries and to share their findings with the public. Unfortunately, Armenia has not responded positively to this initiative, yet. Turkey`s proposal is still on the table.
(SOL-BRC)