Canadian PM's Genocide Recognition Statement Sparks Row With Turkey

OTTAWA -- Turkey has recalled its ambassador to Canada as the country plots an official response to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's recent acknowledgement of the 1915 Armenian genocide -- one of the most disputed and politically fraught events of the 20th century.

Harper's three-paragraph statement April 19 to mark the "sombre anniversary" -- the first time that Canada has made such a statement -- barely caught the attention of most Canadians, but it ignited a furor in Ankara that appears set to boil over.

An official at the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa told CanWest News Service that Aydemir Erman has not been formally withdrawn from Canada over the prime minister's comments, but he has been "called back" to Turkey to discuss with government officials what steps will be taken to express displeasure with the remarks.

Those options include the formal withdrawal of Turkey's top diplomat in Canada, a threat Turkey has made with Canada and other countries in the past.

"The ambassador is now travelling to Turkey because our authorities have asked him to join them for consultations and, indeed, it is related to what's been happening here in the last week or so here in Canada with the prime minister's declaration," said Yoney Tezel, a counsellor with the embassy.

Ottawa's official position that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a "genocide" adds Canada to a group of about 25 other countries, including France, Russia, Poland and Argentina.

"For us, this is a serious matter," Tezel said. "The Armenian claims are a direct attack on our identity, on Turkey's history. We feel it's unfair. That's why when these claims find some recognition we always consider that something negative."

Harper's statement, delivered on the 91st anniversary of the bloodbath, noted that both the Senate and the House of Commons have adopted motions acknowledging that a genocide took place.

"My party and I supported those resolutions and continue to recognize them today," he said.
On April 25, Turkey's Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing Harper of exhibiting a "gravely prejudiced attitude."

"Such statements ... are not only counter-productive to the atmosphere of dialogue we wish to build between Turkey and Armenia, but also adversely affect the relations between Turkey and Canada," the Turkish government said.

A Turkish newspaper, Hurriyet, reported after Harper's statement that Canadian companies would be barred from bidding on contracts related to the construction of a major nuclear power plan.

Aris Babikian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, said Turkey has reacted similarly in the past.

"In 2002, when the Senate passed a resolution, they also threatened and blackmailed Canada that they are going to cut the relationship and boycott Canadian companies and nothing happened," he said. "They did the same thing in 2004 when the House of Commons passed a resolution. Now they are using the same tactics."