ANCC calls to put an end to Turkish lies and misinformation

Turkish politicians and some Turkish media outlets are once again trying to mislead the international community with false news stories and by distorting facts on the Armenian Genocide, says a statement issued by the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC).

Hurriyet, a leading Turkish daily, published (July 2) a news story under the “Turkish Thesis Regarding 1915 Events Adopted by OSCE” headline, which quoted Alaattin Buyukkaya, head of the Turkish group at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly in Astana, Kazakhstan. According, to Buyukkaya, the OSCE adopted the “motion submitted by the Turkish delegation. He
also said: "The motion underlines that past events like genocide should be recognized only after historians carried out a detailed research in all kinds of archives.” The news item tried to link the so-called motion to the Turkish government proposal “to the Armenian government” for “the establishment of a joint historical commission composed of historians and other experts from both sides to study together the events of 1915 and to open the archives of Turkey and Armenia, as well as the archives of all relevant third-party countries and share their findings publicly.”

“The Hurriyet "news" couldn’t be farther from the truth. The OSCE did not adopt any motion on the Armenian Genocide during its meeting. In its final declaration, under Chapter Three (page 8), the OSCE adopted a series of measures and recommendations regarding the “collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Republics and particularly the profound psychological effects of these changes.” In Article 61 the organization clearly parallels the above events to the “psychological and societal” effects to the “end of the Second World War.”

“In contrast to the Turkish claims, Article 60 of OSCE communique stressed the importance of “reconciliation” of each nation with its “past in an open and public process,” meaning Turkey should come to terms with its crimes against humanity (the mass killing of Armenians, Greeks, Jews, Assyrians, Pontians, Arabs, and Kurds).”

“In a further blow to Turkish government’s “historians commission” proposal “to study the Armenian Genocide,” the OSCE (page 45, article 12) said the organization “strongly encourages all parliaments to adopt acts regarding recognition of the [Ukrainian Famine] Holodomor,” thus coming to the conclusion that history should not be left only to historians, and that parliaments should adopt resolutions/acts recognizing such crimes against humanity,” the statement says.

“Once again the Turkish government is stretching the truth and is distributing false news in its desperate and futile denial policy of the Armenian Genocide,” stated Aris Babikian, ANCC executive director. He called on the international community and media to put an end to the Turkish government’s misrepresentations, lies, and PR spin."

The ANCC leader said: "If the Turkish government has the chutzpah to twist current events and the deliberations of international organizations, it is no wonder that it would be engaged in the denial of the Armenian Genocide which took place 92 years ago."

Babikian called on the Turkish government to heed the OSCE advice and come to terms with its dark chapter of history and recognize the Armenian Genocide. He said: "Turkey should put an end to this deceit and charade which it has been involved in for the past 92 years.