Hi,

When I saw the words "Turkish politician" on the main forum page (in the last messages section) I could not stop commenting since I am Turkish.

Mr. Perincek is one very angry guy who subscribes to an extremist ideology. He has the habit of speaking with anger and he speaks very blunt.

Yet, what Mr. Perincek did was an act of civil disobedience. He did not mean to break the law so as to inflict damage to Switzerland but to show that at the very center of Europe you are forbidden to express your views.

I do not wish to go into historical details but just to provide some insight to the Turkish view :

1. Ottoman Empire was multinational and multicultural by definition.
2. Armenians were always of special importance and were called "milleti sidika" meaning the loyal people.
3. During the collapse of Ottoman Empire, Armenians sided with Russians and started massacres in Eastern Anatolia. I do know Turks who lost their grand relatives during these massacres.
4. The Ottomans obviously responded to these Amerian massacres but they overkilled, literally.
5. Europe has always supported Armenian views, including France who harbored the Armenian terrorist organization Asala in 70's and 80's.

Regarding the Ottoman response, I do not know if it was a massacre or a genocide. My "logical belief" is that it was a massacre based upon the historical facts just described yet should substantial evidences come out in favor of a genocide I will of course accept it. Are we not human, lacking empathy, compassion and understanding ? Do you think we will deliberately refuse a proven genocide ? No ! Would you ?

I believe the real problem is that a good number of people enjoy making authoritative comments on issues they have little information.

These important historical problems should be solved not by politicians but by an international group of historians, forensic anthropologists and similar experts. The UN would be a perfect organization for this.

And all countries need to open up their historical archives (Russia, Armenia, Turkey, England, France etc.) But ironically things do not go this way. How come French Parliament and Swiss cantons decide on historical issues ?

Let me paraphrase this issue in a different way.

If there is a murder who solves the crime ?

Turks say detectives, (unfortunately) many Europeans say politicians, and so far with the exception of the Swiss Justice Minister most Europeans are just comfortable with their selection.