July 27, 2007 - 13:58 AMT
Ankara wishes to completely withdraw term 'genocide' as regards 1915 events
"The purpose of the so-called "secret decree" by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is complete exclusion of term 'genocide' as regards of the events of 1915," member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun supreme body, chairman of the permanent parliamentary commission for foreign affairs Armen Rustamian told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

This decree carries no other information, according to him.

"The replacement of notions in this case doesn't concern the essence of the issue and Turkey's stance on the Armenian Genocide recognition," he underscored.

For his part, director of the Institute of the Armenian Genocide Hayk Demoyan told our reporter that Mr Ergodan did not sound a new idea. "It doesn't matter how you call it. The essence doesn't change. Generally, academicians rate non-recognition of the Armenian Genocide as bad form. This is a historical fact, however Ankara may represent it. Erdogan's statement was meant for internal use," Mr Demoyan said.

July 3 PM Erdogan signed a secret decree forbidding to use the term "sozde" (so-called, alleged) as regards the Armenian Genocide. According to the decree, the Armenian Genocide should be henceforth represented in official documents as "events of 1915" or "Armenian claims regarding the events of 1915."