Turkish Community Warns Belgian Politicians About So-called Armenian Claims (What Atrocity?)

BRUSSELS (AA) - Reactions of Turkish community to the resolution on the so-called Armenian genocide allegations, adopted by the Belgian parliament and sent to the Senate for approval, have increased in this country. Some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and political circles continue to warn the Belgian politicians, while efforts are under way to organize protest marches participated by large groups. The resolution foresees that those who reject the so-called Armenian genocide shall be sentenced to up to a year imprisonment, and fined between 26-5,000 Euros. -WARNING LETTER TO BELGIAN POLITICIANS- A NGO named ``Anadolu`` (Anatolia) sent today (Wednesday) a warning letter to all Belgian parliamentarians and senators, and government members. In this letter, this Turkish NGO drew attention that Turkish community in Belgium and Turkish-Belgian relations would be negatively affected in case this resolution was approved. The Turkish community said in its letter, ``we would like to know which historical and visual evidence these parliamentarians take into consideration to support these `genocide` allegations. We wish that these tragic incidents which claimed lives of tens of thousands of Armenians, Turks and other people should be illuminated by experts and historians. And to this end, we have welcomed Ankara`s proposal to leave this file to objective historians and open state archives. We want realities to be learned and accepted, but we think that this can be achieved without political interventions.`` ``We would like to send you a signal to alarm you because this motion for an amendment and the initiative to find a political solution to a historical matter will have a negative impact on adaptation of Turkish community and healthy course of Turkish-Belgian relations. We have seen a growing disturbance in the Turkish community in Belgium. This community is being offended by and disappointed with this initiative``, said the NGO. Expressing belief that nobody would back provocations aiming to deteriorate relations between the two countries, the NGO called on Belgian politicians to maintain their efforts to improve Turkish-Belgian relations and help adaptation of Turkish community in this country. The NGO called on Belgian politicians to support scientific and historical researches on this matter, and not to back those who provoke Turkish community. ``There are many things we can do and share instead of separation and provocation,`` concluded the NGO in its letter. -THE RESOLUTION- Olivier Maingain from the Valon Liberal Party (MR) group at the Belgian parliament submitted the mentioned resolution which amends a law on German Nazi genocide and aims to broaden the scope of this law. The resolution envisages to add ``genocides recognized by Belgium, an EU member state or the UN`` to the scope of this law. The resolution shows the so-called Armenian genocide recognized by the European Parliament (EP) in 1987 as an example, and claims that these claims have also been recognized by the UN. In case this resolution, expected to be passed by Senate`s internal affairs, foreign affairs and justice commissions in coming days, is adopted, it will be a crime in Belgium to defend that ``so-called genocide did not occur``. If the Armenian lobby reaches this target, it will sue not only individuals but also historians, scientists and organizations that reject so-called genocide allegations and achieve its goal to keep them silent.

With paragraphs:

BRUSSELS (AA) - Reactions of Turkish community to the resolution on the so-called Armenian genocide allegations, adopted by the Belgian parliament and sent to the Senate for approval, have increased in this country.

Some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and political circles continue to warn the Belgian politicians, while efforts are under way to organize protest marches participated by large groups.

The resolution foresees that those who reject the so-called Armenian genocide shall be sentenced to up to a year imprisonment, and fined between 26-5,000 Euros.

-WARNING LETTER TO BELGIAN POLITICIANS-

A NGO named ``Anadolu`` (Anatolia) sent today (Wednesday) a warning letter to all Belgian parliamentarians and senators, and government members.

In this letter, this Turkish NGO drew attention that Turkish community in Belgium and Turkish-Belgian relations would be negatively affected in case this resolution was approved.

The Turkish community said in its letter, ``we would like to know which historical and visual evidence these parliamentarians take into consideration to support these `genocide` allegations. We wish that these tragic incidents which claimed lives of tens of thousands of Armenians, Turks and other people should be illuminated by experts and historians. And to this end, we have welcomed Ankara`s proposal to leave this file to objective historians and open state archives. We want realities to be learned and accepted, but we think that this can be achieved without political interventions.``

``We would like to send you a signal to alarm you because this motion for an amendment and the initiative to find a political solution to a historical matter will have a negative impact on adaptation of Turkish community and healthy course of Turkish-Belgian relations. We have seen a growing disturbance in the Turkish community in Belgium. This community is being offended by and disappointed with this initiative``, said the NGO.

Expressing belief that nobody would back provocations aiming to deteriorate relations between the two countries, the NGO called on Belgian politicians to maintain their efforts to improve Turkish-Belgian relations and help adaptation of Turkish community in this country.

The NGO called on Belgian politicians to support scientific and historical researches on this matter, and not to back those who provoke Turkish community.

``There are many things we can do and share instead of separation and provocation,`` concluded the NGO in its letter.

-THE RESOLUTION-

Olivier Maingain from the Valon Liberal Party (MR) group at the Belgian parliament submitted the mentioned resolution which amends a law on German Nazi genocide and aims to broaden the scope of this law.

The resolution envisages to add ``genocides recognized by Belgium, an EU member state or the UN`` to the scope of this law.

The resolution shows the so-called Armenian genocide recognized by the European Parliament (EP) in 1987 as an example, and claims that these claims have also been recognized by the UN.

In case this resolution, expected to be passed by Senate`s internal affairs, foreign affairs and justice commissions in coming days, is adopted, it will be a crime in Belgium to defend that ``so-called genocide did not occur``.

If the Armenian lobby reaches this target, it will sue not only individuals but also historians, scientists and organizations that reject so-called genocide allegations and achieve its goal to keep them silent.

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