March 1, 2004 - 22:48 AMT
ANKARA TO MOBILIZE TURKISH DIASPORA AGAINST EFFORTS OF ARMENIAN LOBBY AIMED AT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION
Turkey's foreign minister Abdullah Gul expressed concern over the activities of Armenian lobby organizations directed to the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. As reported by Marmara, the Armenian newspaper published in Turkey, in this view A. Gul called 4-million Turkish Diaspora to undertake measures for neutralization of the activity of the Armenian lobby. Thanks to the efforts exerted by the Armenian lobbyists the issue of the Genocide, which is indisputable for them, is secretly or obviously becoming the subject for the discussions of the world community, he noted. Well-organized Armenian structures sometimes manage to pursuade parliaments of different countries to take decisions, favorable in the view of recognition of the Armenian Genocide. At the same time he informed that the Turkish MFA is as well undertaking certain steps to counteract the Armenian lobby. However, in his opinion, it is not enough and 4 million of Turks living abroad should join Turkish diplomats. At that A. Gul demanded his compatriots not to exceed the limits of civilized methods, since "position of Ankara against groundless claims of Armenians is so strong that if the issue is brought to scientific consideration, the incontestability of the Turkish party will become obvious".