Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Çiller speaks out on U.S. Armenian Resolution
by MTVMSNBC
Posted: Sunday, October 08, 2000 09:06 pm CST

Urges solution of “current impasse.”

True Path Party chief calls for deportation of non-resident Armenians

October 7 — Former prime minister and leader of the opposition True Path Party (DYP) Tansu Çiller hit out Saturday over the Armenian “genocide” controversy, accusing the U.S. of “blundering” over the issue.

Speaking at a technology awards ceremony arranged by the Eski?ehir Chamber of Trade, Çiller addressed the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee’s recent decision to put forward a bill recognizing the alleged WWI attrocity.
“If there is one country in the world that cannot even dare speak about a genocide, that country is the U.S.,” she said.

THE ARMENIAN DRAFT

Çiller then claimed that the “genocide” had never happened and that historians had provided documentation proving her argument.
“The U.S. is making a major mistake,” she said. Raising the possibility of retaliatory measures, she proposed that the Incirlik air base - currently used by U.S. and U.K. fighter planes to patrol the U.N. “no-fly zone” over northern Iraq - be closed “for repairs.”
She then hit out at Armenians living in Turkey who were not Turkish citizens. “There are 30,000 Armenians living in our country,” she said. “I am not speaking about Turkish Armenians, for they are first class citizens for me. In fact, all minorities are first class citizens for me. I am speaking about Armenians who are not citizens of our country. These are businessmen who work in Turkey. Let’s either send these people back to Armenia or simply place them outside of Turkey’s boundaries. Let them worry about the consequences of their actions. There are various solutions such as this which I am looking forward to discussing with the prime minister.”

EU ENTRY

Çiller then addressed domestic issues, saying that she was strongly in favor of a public debate on Turkey’s current problems. “I am inviting the prime minister to an open discussion in order to share Turkey ‘s general direction with the citizens,” she said.
Touching upon the importance of Turkey’s entry into the EU, she added, “Turkey’s place is in the EU and the road that leads to the EU is through technological advances.” She then said that the Turkish economy was facing serious problems. “One of Turkey’s leading problems is the chasm between the actual country and the virtual country (the other Turkey) and this difference is not possible with respect to democracy,” she said. “If the ship is sinking, escaping to higher decks is not the solution, for the water will rise to the upper levels and that ship will sink sooner or later.”

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