Азербайджано-Турецкое

[Sari Galin]

Historians to find the truth not politicians, says Gül

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

It is the duty of historians and scientists to write history, not of politicians or Parliament, the president commented at a conference on Turkish history yesterday.

President Abdullah Gül spoke at the opening of the 11th International Congress of Social and Economic History of Turkey, which took place in Ankara's Bilkent Hotel yesterday. He said the best way to achieve accuracy is to leave the evaluation of historical events to historians.

“Our approach as a state is in the same way on the issue of the alleged-Armenian genocide, which is insistently brought to the agenda,” he said, adding that Turkey has done its best to ensure the allegations are investigated by historians.

“We make all our archives available for researchers. Our most confidential archive is open. Turkey is reconciled with its history and proud of it.”

Gül said it must be the duty of historians and scientists to write history, not politicians or parliaments, adding, “We objected to making politics by abusing sorrows in the past and we think in the same today as well.”

“The fact that we are working together to genuinely find the truth is worthy of applause,” said Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan during a meeting with representatives from the Azerbaijan-Turkey Historical Research Foundation Monday. The foundation was established to uncover the truth about the Armenian genocide allegations.