TURKISH INTELLECTUALS CALL TO APOLOGIZE TO ARMENIAN PEOPLE FOR 1915 EV

[Yervant1]

IN TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIAN'S AFFIRMATION, CAMPAIGN I APOLOGIZE TO ARMENIANS IS SPONSORED BY EUROPEAN UNION

 

Noyan Tapan

http://www.nt.am?shownews=1012026

Feb 10, 2009

 

BAKU, FEBRUARY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Some initiators of the campaign I

Apologize to the Armenians launched in Turkey have received big sums

from European Union funds. According to the Merkez newspaper published

in Azerbaijan, deputy of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey,

member of the Nationalist Movement party Behic Celik stated this.

 

According to the Azeri newspaper, the Turkish parliamentarian stated

that the campaign I Apologize to the Armenians started in Turkey

by European Union's order, and those conducting the campaign have

received big sums from European funds.

 

Thus, according to Behic Celik, among campaign initiators, Ahmed Insel,

Halil Berktay, Murad Belge, Serafettin Elci, Mehmed Ali Birand have

received 107 414 euros each, journalist Mine Kerekkanat 70 thousand

euros, professor Ibrahim Kaboglu 193 548 euros, professor Atilla

Yayla 449 620 euros, Ertugrul Kurkrcu 809 414 euros.

 

Agos newspaper's editor-in-chief Etyen Mahcupian has received the

biggest sum, 1m 32 thousand 921 euros, on the list of the names

mentioned by the Turkish deputy.

 

"The above mentioned people for the sums received by them carry out

online signature collection I Apologize to the Armenians and ensure

assistance of greater number of people to that campaign," the Turkish

deputy stated.

 

It should be mentioned that in 2008 December four Turkish

intellectuals, Basken Oran, Ahmed Insel, Cengiz Aktar, and Ali

Bayramoglu came up with the initiative I Apologize to the Armenians,

within the framework of which an online signature collection was

organized.

 

More than 28 thousand people assist to the campaign I Apologize

to the Armenians. A website I Expect Apology operates in Turkey to

counteract to this campaign. According to the latest data, the website

has collected more than 116 thousand signatures.