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Elekdag: Armenian Diaspora's Accusing Turkey Of Genocide Is A Legal Crime
Anatolian Times, Turkey
Nov. 25, 2005
ANKARA - "Armenian diaspora's accusing Turkey of genocide is a legal
crime," Sukru Elekdag, MP of the main opposition party --Republican
People's Party (CHP)-- said on Thursday.
Speaking at an international symposium held at Ankara's Gazi
University on "Turkish-Armenian Relations and 1915 Incidents",
Elekdag said, "those who advocate Armenian thesis, cannot prove their
allegations within the context of the United Nations Conventions on
the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Article
4 of the Convention says that only persons and public officials
can be accused of genocide, not juristic persons or states. Also,
Article 6 of the same convention says that those allegations should
be determined by competent tribunals."
"Parliaments of several countries decided to recognize so-called
Armenian genocide by violating the United Nations Convention. A
decision made by violating international laws does not have any
legal ground. The law does not define the 1915 incidents as crime
of genocide. Therefore, an undefined act cannot be considered
crime. This is the principle of 'there is no crime without
law'. Under all these principles, it is impossible to describe the
1915 incidents as genocide, and to accuse the Ottoman Empire and
Turkey of genocide. Those allegations have both political and legal
dimensions. Therefore, a court of arbitration should be formed to
deal with the issue," he said.
Anatolian Times, Turkey
Nov. 25, 2005
ANKARA - "Armenian diaspora's accusing Turkey of genocide is a legal
crime," Sukru Elekdag, MP of the main opposition party --Republican
People's Party (CHP)-- said on Thursday.
Speaking at an international symposium held at Ankara's Gazi
University on "Turkish-Armenian Relations and 1915 Incidents",
Elekdag said, "those who advocate Armenian thesis, cannot prove their
allegations within the context of the United Nations Conventions on
the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Article
4 of the Convention says that only persons and public officials
can be accused of genocide, not juristic persons or states. Also,
Article 6 of the same convention says that those allegations should
be determined by competent tribunals."
"Parliaments of several countries decided to recognize so-called
Armenian genocide by violating the United Nations Convention. A
decision made by violating international laws does not have any
legal ground. The law does not define the 1915 incidents as crime
of genocide. Therefore, an undefined act cannot be considered
crime. This is the principle of 'there is no crime without
law'. Under all these principles, it is impossible to describe the
1915 incidents as genocide, and to accuse the Ottoman Empire and
Turkey of genocide. Those allegations have both political and legal
dimensions. Therefore, a court of arbitration should be formed to
deal with the issue," he said.
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