ERZURUM (AA) - Prof. Dr. Enver Konukcu of Erzurum Ataturk University Department of History said on Friday, ''our state archives have already been opened. However, Yerevan will not open its archives since there are so many documents which constitutes evidence of massacres committed by Armenians against Turks.''
Holding a news conference, Prof. Dr. Konukcu said, ''the Ottoman Empire faced a series of Armenian uprisings in eastern Anatolia in 1829, under Sultan Abdul-Hamid II. After problems became more serious, the Ottoman Empire adopted the Relocation Law. About 12 thousand Armenians had been living in Erzurum when the law had come into force. 5 thousand of them had been relocated. The Ottoman Empire had taken all necessary measures to protect the Armenian people during the relocation.''
''Armenians claim that 1.5 million Armenians had been killed by Turks. In fact, Turks have never committed genocide in their history. Our state archives have already been opened. But, Yerevan will not open its archives since there are many reports proving massacres committed by Armenians against Turks,'' he said.
Konukcu noted that the media had an important place in prevalence of such allegations, adding that owners of many newspapers in the United States were of Armenian and Greek origin.
(UK-ULG)
2005-06-03