Turkey launches “preparations” for 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide

February 21, 2011 - 21:33 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey is embarking on yet another campaign to prevent new recognitions of Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire. The editor-in-chief of CNN Turk Mehmet Ali Birand has already launched a series of Genocide-related articles. Every year the author of the “Armenian tsunami” term urges Turkish authorities to take the first step on the way to Genocide recognition. In his January article, timed to the anniversary of Hrant Dink murder, Birand attempts to impose on Turkey the importance of making decision in the face of the oncoming 100th anniversary of the Genocide.

But Turkey is following the beaten path. Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already drew up a report entitled 1915 Events to inform international community about “its viewpoint” on the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, characterizing it as “deplorable events of 1915.” True to the habit of laying own fault at someone else’s door, the Turkish paper reports that the Ottoman Empire saw over 40 riots in 1890-1914. “In World War I years, Armenians in cooperation with the Russian Army organized Muslim massacres, murdering 523 955 Turks.” The Turks once again accused the Armenians of their own crimes, “forgetting” that half a million Turks perished during an infamous Caucasian campaign of Enver Pasha, rather than at the hands of the Armenians.

Judging by the report, Turkey has already launched preparation for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire; so, many similar reports are yet to be expected by the year 2015. As Turkish Foreign Ministry notes, the report was drawn up as a reply to Armenian lobby, according to Star Turkish newspaper.