Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the current prime minister of Turkey and the leader of its Islamist party is quoted as saying on BBC on March 17, 2010 the following:
Erdogan's London statement is also reported by Armenia Now.com to include the following:
"We have tolerated Armenians illegally residing here (in Turkey) for years, but it cannot continue for a long time," said Erdogan on March 27, in his interview to German 'Der Spiegel' online periodical. "If Diaspora keeps putting pressure, we will have to expel illegal Armenian immigrants."
In a letter to the editor published in Turkish daily Taraf, a group of readers criticized Turkish state policy to refute the fact of the Armenian Genocide and Turkish PM Recept Tayyip Erdogan's threats last week to deport Armenians living illegally in Turkey.
"We cannot remain indifferent to the 1915 'Medz Yeghern' (Great Calamity) under the Ottoman Empire; our conscience doesn't allow its denial. We dismiss that injustice [we] sympathize with our Armenian brothers. We condemn Prime Minister Erdogan's statement on 'keeping needy Armenians hostage,' deeming it to be heartless."
"In my country there are 170,000 Armenians. Seventy thousand of them are citizens. We tolerate 100,000 more. So, what am I going to do tomorrow? If necessary I will tell the 100,000: OK, time to go back to your country. Why? They are not my citizens. I am not obliged to keep them in my country."Columnist Christopher Hutchins commented as follows: "This extraordinary threat was not made at some stupid rally in a fly-blown town. It was uttered in England on March 17, on the Turkish-language service of the BBC. Just to be clear, then, about the view of Turkey's chief statesman: If democratic assemblies dare to mention the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in the 20th century, I will personally complete that cleansing in the 21st!"
Erdogan's London statement is also reported by Armenia Now.com to include the following:
"We have tolerated Armenians illegally residing here (in Turkey) for years, but it cannot continue for a long time," said Erdogan on March 27, in his interview to German 'Der Spiegel' online periodical. "If Diaspora keeps putting pressure, we will have to expel illegal Armenian immigrants."
In a letter to the editor published in Turkish daily Taraf, a group of readers criticized Turkish state policy to refute the fact of the Armenian Genocide and Turkish PM Recept Tayyip Erdogan's threats last week to deport Armenians living illegally in Turkey.
"We cannot remain indifferent to the 1915 'Medz Yeghern' (Great Calamity) under the Ottoman Empire; our conscience doesn't allow its denial. We dismiss that injustice [we] sympathize with our Armenian brothers. We condemn Prime Minister Erdogan's statement on 'keeping needy Armenians hostage,' deeming it to be heartless."
Sources:
BBC News (March 17, 2010). Turkey threatens to expel 100,000 Armenians. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8572934.stm
Hitchens, Christopher (April 5, 2010). Shut up about Armenians or we'll hurt them again: Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's latest sinister threat. Washingtonpost. Newsweek Interactive Co. LLC http://www.slate.com/id/2249825/
Armenian News (March 23, 2010). Turkish Human Rights Committee Receives Complaint on Erdogan Deportation Threats. http://www.armenians.net/news/view/article/5812
Lonesyan, Karine (March 29, 2010). Turkish Threats or Deja vu: Erdogan will deport Armenian immigrants if Diaspora keeps "misbehaving." http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/21930/erdogan_deportation_armenian_imigrants_turkey
Armenians.net (March 23, 2010). We're not indifferent to the great calamity of 1915. http://www.armenians.net/news/view/article/5812/We%E2%80%99re-Not-Indifferent-to-the-Great-Calamity-of-1915/7
