Now if this doesn't take the cake - highlighted passages....
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NEW YORK (AA) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the medal of valor which was presented by Jewish Anti-Defamation League to Turkish diplomats who saved lives of Jews massacred during World War II.
Erdogan received the medal in a breakfast in New York on Friday. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, State Minister Ali Babacan and National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul also attended the breakfast.
Erdogan said, ''genocide on Jews is the most unbelievable crime which was committed throughout the history. Millions of Jews became the victims of this crime.''
''Not allowing this crime to be forgotten as well as to prevent such a crime to be committed again are our common mission. Anti-Semitism is a perversion which ended with massacre. It is impossible to show an excuse. In Islam, killing a person is like to kill the whole humanity. Genocide, ethnic cleansing, racism, anti-Islamism, anti-Christianity, xenophobia and terrorism are different faces of the same wickedness. If we understand the danger and threat of these calamities and fight against them effectively, our children will live in a better world,'' said Erdogan.
Noting that anti-Semitism does not exist in Turkey, Erdogan said, ''anti-Semitism is unfamiliar to our culture. Islam is a religion which sees people equal regardless of their being Jewish, Christian or Muslim.''
Prime Minister Erdogan said that the Turkish nation would continue to have close and friendly relations with the Jewish community and struggle against all sorts of racism.
''Turkey (Ottomans) sheltered Jewish people 500 years ago. Our friendship with the Jewish people existed until today. There are still Jewish people living in Turkey today and they are respected members of the Turkish society. We have friendly ties with the Jewish people who settled in the U.S. and in other places and they always supported Turkey on its difficult days. We continue to trust your friendship and you should continue trusting our friendship,'' said Erdogan.
Erdogan stressed that he was honored to receive the medal.
The world would always remember Turkish Consul General Selahattin Ulkumen who saved the lives of Jews on Rhodes island, Erdogan said.
''Our generation owes a fair and peaceful world for everybody and Turkey is determined to join the EU which buried the old hatreds of the old continent. We are also determined to further deepen our alliance and partnership with the U.S.. This partnership is an indispensable common initiative to serve good goals. Turkey and the U.S. wish to launch complementary efforts for installation of democratic peace by taking their shared values and common goals as the basis. I stressed Turkey's determination to maintain its friendship with Israel during my visit to Israel a short time ago... While receiving this award, I commit to continue our efforts to defeat hatred and tyranny and to work for lasting peace and justice in the world,'' Erdogan said.
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NEW YORK (AA) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the medal of valor which was presented by Jewish Anti-Defamation League to Turkish diplomats who saved lives of Jews massacred during World War II.
Erdogan received the medal in a breakfast in New York on Friday. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, State Minister Ali Babacan and National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul also attended the breakfast.
Erdogan said, ''genocide on Jews is the most unbelievable crime which was committed throughout the history. Millions of Jews became the victims of this crime.''
''Not allowing this crime to be forgotten as well as to prevent such a crime to be committed again are our common mission. Anti-Semitism is a perversion which ended with massacre. It is impossible to show an excuse. In Islam, killing a person is like to kill the whole humanity. Genocide, ethnic cleansing, racism, anti-Islamism, anti-Christianity, xenophobia and terrorism are different faces of the same wickedness. If we understand the danger and threat of these calamities and fight against them effectively, our children will live in a better world,'' said Erdogan.
Noting that anti-Semitism does not exist in Turkey, Erdogan said, ''anti-Semitism is unfamiliar to our culture. Islam is a religion which sees people equal regardless of their being Jewish, Christian or Muslim.''
Prime Minister Erdogan said that the Turkish nation would continue to have close and friendly relations with the Jewish community and struggle against all sorts of racism.
''Turkey (Ottomans) sheltered Jewish people 500 years ago. Our friendship with the Jewish people existed until today. There are still Jewish people living in Turkey today and they are respected members of the Turkish society. We have friendly ties with the Jewish people who settled in the U.S. and in other places and they always supported Turkey on its difficult days. We continue to trust your friendship and you should continue trusting our friendship,'' said Erdogan.
Erdogan stressed that he was honored to receive the medal.
The world would always remember Turkish Consul General Selahattin Ulkumen who saved the lives of Jews on Rhodes island, Erdogan said.
''Our generation owes a fair and peaceful world for everybody and Turkey is determined to join the EU which buried the old hatreds of the old continent. We are also determined to further deepen our alliance and partnership with the U.S.. This partnership is an indispensable common initiative to serve good goals. Turkey and the U.S. wish to launch complementary efforts for installation of democratic peace by taking their shared values and common goals as the basis. I stressed Turkey's determination to maintain its friendship with Israel during my visit to Israel a short time ago... While receiving this award, I commit to continue our efforts to defeat hatred and tyranny and to work for lasting peace and justice in the world,'' Erdogan said.
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