As the country prepares to start European Union entry talks later this year, it is forced to grapple with a subject that was strictly taboo to date. Some European politicians have called on Turkey to acknowledge the killings were a genocide, and the EU wants to see Turkey open diplomatic relations with Armenia.
Proudly nationalistic, most Turks see recognition as tantamount to admitting a historical lie.
"A vast majority cannot accept this, and they have no reason to," said Gunduz Aktan, a former senior diplomat. "This creates tension, and it's normal for there to be nationalist reaction."
...Turkey's 65,000 ethnic Armenians are "on a knife's edge," anxious the debate may spark a backlash against the beleaguered community, said Hrant Dink, editor of the Armenian weekly Agos.
"We never deny our own history. But Armenians are unable to discuss it for fear it will harm the community's existence."
No comments:
Post a Comment