Update: Sources close to the Turkish government have denied Sunday’s Zaman’s report claiming that the Gallipoli commemoration events have been canceled, reported Daily Sabah on Feb. 22.
ANKARA (A.W.)—The commemoration ceremonies marking the centennial of the Gallipoli campaign of World War I have been canceled, according to Sunday’s Zaman. The paper revealed a low turnout by heads of state as the reason for the cancellation of the ceremonies, which were scheduled to take place in Ankara on April 24—Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day.
The paper quoted a government official, who wished to remain anonymous, as saying, “The Gallipoli celebrations have been canceled. All preparations have been suspended as the number of RSVPs to the invitation is not positive. Only five countries have accepted the invitation and they will not be represented by high-level officials.”
Leading up to the Gallipoli commemorations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sent official invitations to more than 100 world leaders, including Armenian President Serge Sarkisian, to join the ceremonies. The date designated for these commemoration events—April 24—created uproar among Armenians worldwide, while Turkish human rights groups urged world leaders to boycott the Gallipoli events.
On Jan. 16, Sarkisian responded to Erdogan’s invitation to Turkey in a strongly worded letter. “Turkey continues its conventional denial policy and is perfecting its instrumentation for distorting history. This time, Turkey is marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli on April 24, even though the battle began on March 18, 1915 and lasted until late January 1916, while the Allies’ operation started on April 25,” he wrote, adding, “What is the purpose [of this] if not to distract the world’s attention from the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide?”
Erdogan just made a laughing stock out of himself.
There is a God after all. Finally, it intervened on behalf of righteousness and justice!
Once again Turkish esh(donkey) politics backfires.
A symbolic victory for all Armenians against Turks! Thank you world leaders who has denied the invitation!
This is terrific news! The joke is on the jokers!!!
I read the report @TodaysZaman, and it says there what it says here.
But let’s wait and see: TZ has a beef with AKP and Erdogan.
This could be misinformation or jumping the gun by TZ.
I find it hard to believe Turks would cancel it outright.
Too important for them.
Let’s see what their foreign ministry says officially.
I had the same gut feeling. Any time it says “an anonymous source”, some skepticism is required.
It just does not make sense that they would cancel it. TZ is either trying to embarrass Erdogan and company or get a reaction from us. Or both.
A big kick-in-the-pants for Erdogan. The next kick is going to hurt even more.
This cancellation is embarrassing and a snub to Turkey’s lies.
It is a humiliation at world stage and in response to denial of Armenian Genocide.
The longer is the denial the heavier is the price.
I am very glad that, atlast Erdogan acknowleged that he was wrong…..
My speculation is that foreign governments are aware of ISIL plans to kill those in attendance, and even without that factor they do not want to give ISIL’s man in Ankara any stature.
When will the Turkish government learn that denying the Armenian Genocide does them know good. They are looking like fools. It really is quite pathetic.
I agree with your explanation. More so, it is the fact that they are partners with ISIL.
This is great. As a grandson of the diaspora, it sometimes gets so discouraging to see the leaders of nations ignoring what happened in the past. But now they don’t want to come to Erdogan’s party. Good for them. Maybe something is changing.
stupid erdoghan,a 5 year old kid will not make the mistake you did ,by inviting the world leaders to participate to your game against the commemoration of the genocide you inflicted to the armenian people,
the world is going forward,you and your your country is going to the otoman days.
I LOVE THIS.
I can’t remember when was the last time I enjoyed reading news.
Thank you for the good news.
Obviously THAT IS THE TURKISH INTREST TO COVER THEIR BIG SIN !!!
I’m delighted that they had to cancel it. What a stupid ill advised idea to have it on this date in any case which was a slap in the face to Armenians world wide who remember the destruction of their ancestors on that very date.
Good if it is truth
GALLIPOLI vs. FIRST GENOCIDE IN HISTORY,
[THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE]
At least some acted as humans after all…
Giving a lesson to the new savage Ottomans
Our genocides’ painful memory…
More important than Gallipoli …
Gallipoli was War … Ours was Genocide …
Children were killed…girls raped
Pregnant women’s abdomen were slashed by their scimitars
to guess the unknown, unborn sex
Men beheaded…and photographed by many like today’s ISIS.
We lost our homes… gardens…fruits…gold…antiques…
We lost Ani, Kars, Van, Mush, Sasun
And our Biblical Mount Ararat …
Our Churches, Cathedrals, Vanks (Monasteries),
Schools, Collages, were invaded…destroyed…
Millions of Armenian were orphans…
Some are now grandmothers…of Arabs
And they are proud to say…
That they were kind, beautiful grannies …
As I hear ever now and then.
And today million of Armenian are Turkified …
(I don’t like to use word Islamatized…
Because the real muslims were never act this way…)
Turks forcefully destroyed armenians’ identity…
(Name, surname, ethnicity, culture, religion, faith…)
What else you want to say…and whom to complain…)
You should … feel and blame your self…
Why you respect a race that are against every race …
Even against their honest populace …
Journalist, authors, like Orhan Pamuk and more…!
Oh unfairness of so-called human race remain countless…unjustified…
You showed -at last- recently some respect…
To our artful genes, which are respected and loved everywhere
And in all Arab-islamic lands…who saved us from barbers…butchers…
Who can hate us… tell us…?
I want to hear… from any lip …
To say… “we hate Armenians” other than savage Turks…
Who can hate an honest dedicated, artful. creative race..
Who gives more than takes…?
Dr. SYLVA PORTOIAN
February 22, 2015
Written Instantly
Or Turks are making laughing stock out of the Armenians. You can’t trust these bustards. When it comes to politics the British are number one and second number one are the Israelis and third number one is Turkey. They have always outsmarted everyone. So, don’t be so sure Armenians.
There was no official confirmation of this. Personally, I wouldn’t publish this only based on some report on Today’s Zaman. Maybe not all leaders but some high ranking officials who are in the business of rear end licking from UK and Australia would have participated anyway! So I don’t really know what is going on behind the scene,maybe they got some phone call from Washington!!
Bravo Sylva that was quite a speech. Yes Erdogan has not done the Turks any favours and hopefully digging his own grave.
Thank you Muriel for reading my verse …
You comment much appreciated…
Sylva
Finally the world leaders wake-up about the Turkish government denying the true facts of the Armenian Genocide. They never learn that in the next 100 years they will be more Armenians claiming for recognition. We gone united and stronger, there is something to keep in your mind.
This is only the beginning.No crime goes unpunished.
1992, ‘Chairperson’s Message’, of NY/NJ Chapter of ‘Marashtzi ‘ Armenians honoring:
Garabed “Chuck Haytaian”, speaker of the NJ Gen. Assembly, as ‘man of the year’.
“…These children of the Martyrs, disbursed to the four winds of the universe, subject to the cruelest whims of fate, will someday escape from their caves as roaring lions and will claim their place in this world…”
These were the prophecies of Anatole France and other like him who had seen the distinction of these people called Armenians.
1992, ‘Chairperson’s Message’, of NY/NJ Chapter of ‘Marashtzi ‘ Armenians honoring:
Garabed “Chuck Haytaian”, speaker of the NJ Gen. Assembly, as ‘man of the year’.
“…These children of the Martyrs, disbursed to the four winds of the universe, subject to the cruelest whims of fate, will someday escape from their caves as roaring lions and will claim their place in this world…”
These were the prophecies of Anatole France and other like him who had seen the distinction of these people called Armenians.
Here are some names that need to be respected by the United States: Ernest H. Dervishian; VIctor “Transport” Maghakian and Harry Kizirian. Their parents all survived the Armenian Genocide. They went on to serve in WWII and received the Congressional Medal of Honor and Navy Crosses. We had a lot of Armenian Americans who served in WWI for America that also received high valor medals. We even had a Union Sailor in the United States Navy who served in the Civil War. It would be a disgrace not to send high level officials to Armenia on April 24th rather than sending them to Gallipoli.
My father escaped from a Turkish forced-labor camp and fled on a Greek ship. He said that he tossed the ugly fez into the wake of the ship and vowed to avenge the killing of his family. When he finally arrived in America, he served in the military in WWI and was sent to a northern Russian encampment (the “polar bear force”) where news of the armistice didn’t reach them until a month later. He was a staunch ARF member for his entire life in Detroit, Michigan and a great dad. I am a grandchild of the Chuck Haytaian’s “martyrs” and I
have been “roaring” for years. When will the world listen and hear the truth.
Armenians will always win. The Turks will always fail. Truth is a funny thing, it will prevail!
The official Australian/NZ celebrations do not start until the 25th April – not the 24th. We Aussies are very conscious of the sensitivities of the Armenian people’s. Our Federal Treasurer and my State Transport Minister are of Armenian heritage. I am going to the Gallipoli ceremony but I will be paying my deepest respects at one of the Armenian churches in Istanbul to those Armenian’s, Assyrian’s and Hellenes who lost their lives in WW1.
Hagan lo que hagan no les alcanzará a los turcos desconocer sus atrocidades.La sangre de los turcos está infectada por la violencia y muerte. No podrán insertarse en un mundo civilizado. Deberán pagar por los crímenes cometidos.