06 04 20 - Turks & Azerbaijanis to protest Armenian demonstration in USA

Hurriyet Thursday, April 20, 2006 20:42 Annette Melikian USA
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/4284490.asp?gid=74

Turks and Azerbaijanis living in the USA will protest the demonstration the Armenians are planning to stage in Washington D.C. on April 24th, the anniversary of the so-called genocide. Around 600 Armenians, who will gather in front of Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C. between April 21st and 25th, will carry banners and stage demonstrations protesting the so-called genocide.
On the other hand, Turkish and Azerbaijani communities in the USA will stage a counter demonstration to support Turkey's theses. Turkish diplomats have warned the two communities to stay calm and “not to be provoked.”
Security measures will be tightened in front of the embassy building during the demonstrations. The secret service and Washington police will be responsible for ensuring the security.

USA'S STANCE
On the other hand U.S. President George Bush is not expected to use the term “genocide” in the speech he will make on April 24th.
There are actually three drafts, acknowledging the so-called genocide allegations, at the Senate and House of Representatives. Two of them were passed by the congressional committees. According to diplomatic sources, the drafts may be adopted in case they are broughtto the full House of Representatives and Senate.
White House and State Department executives have assured Turkey that the drafts will not be taken up. However, one of them may be annexed to any regulation debated at the Senate, and be passed by a 'fait accompli'. Therefore, Turkish diplomats are closely monitoring the developments at the U.S. Senate.






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Armenian Conference to Discuss Dialogue not Genocide Allegations
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NATIONAL 04.20.2006 Thursday - ISTANBUL 13:00

Armenian Conference to Discuss Dialogue not Genocide Allegations
By Sezai Kalayci, Istanbul
Published: Wednesday, April 19, 2006
zaman.com
Remembered mostly for the so-called genocide allegations, the Armenian issue will be taken up from a different angle at a conference organized by Erciyes University.
Turkish Armenians Patriarch Mesrob II, who had refused to answer questions related to the issue, will join the gathering to discuss the peace process of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
Professor Metin Hulagu, deputy dean of the Faculty of Science and Letters of Erciyes University and head of the organization committee, said Mesrob II rejected previous invitations, but what persuaded him this time was their aim: “We plan to talk about peace and dialogue between the two nations.”
Another remarkable aspect of this symposium is that those who had spoken harshly on the matter will now talk about how to manage co-habitation of Turks and Armenians.
The three-day conference organized by Erciyes University is titled “The Art of Co-Existence in Ottoman Society: The Case of Turkish-Armenian Relations.”
Hulagu says the Patriarch’s refusal of previous invitations is understandable, “He naturally refused the invitation from a conservative city of Anatolia where the atmosphere was tense. We showed special consideration for his decision due to such concerns, and for when Mr. Mesrob visited Kayseri two weeks ago. I spoke with him about the symposium and its content, and he accepted an invitation when we assured him that we planned to focus on peace and dialogue.”
Professor Hulagu assured politics will not be discussed at the conference. “We want to emphasize peace and tolerance. We want to demonstrate how Armenian and Turkish societies lived together for centuries. If we had not attempted to address such a topic the Patriarch would not have joined the meeting.”
The professor reminded that nobody had touched on the topic of peace in relation to this issue so far. He said they plan to conduct a similar symposium to take place in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia are underway.

V.V