Barack Obama sidesteps Armenian genocide row

ricklbert

UHF JUNKIE
April 6th, 2009 in Breaking News, ObamaGate

Barack Obama sidesteps Armenian genocide row on trip to Turkey
- Times Online.

Barack Obama found his diplomatic skills tested to the limit today when he was forced to address the Turkish slaughter of Armenians during the dying days of the Ottoman Empire without using the word “genocide”.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a systematic campaign of extermination during the First World War, and during his campaign for the presidency Mr Obama declared that “America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian genocide”.

Today, during a joint press conference in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, President Obama said that his views had not changed but he took extreme care not to use the word “genocide” so as not to inflame his hosts, who have always denied the claims.

Instead, he expressed the hope that talks between Turkey and Armenia could “bear fruit very soon” and he wanted to support that process.

Source:Timesonline
Barack Obama sidesteps Armenian genocide row on trip to Turkey - Times Online
 
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