10% Speech Turkish President at Swedish Parliament about Arameans (Syriacs)
Interestingly, ca. 10% of the speech given yesterday on 13 March 2013 by Turkey’s President at the Swedish Parliament concerns the Aramean (Syriac) people! Below follow first his 212 (out of a total of ca. 2100) words, then a few comments by the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) as regards his key message:
The Syriacs who live in Sweden and have roots in the geography of Turkey for centuries are a common denominator between our countries.
I received recently in Ankara the leading representatives of the Syriac community of Sweden who are represented by various political parties in the Riksdag. In addition, the Spiritual Leader and Patriarchical Vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Community Metropolitan Bishop Filiksinos Yusuf Çetin is with me in the accompanying delegation on this trip.
We work sincerely to further improve the conditions for the Syriac community in Turkey.
History is full of painful experiences showing that issues in societies should be resolved by themselves and in dialog with the geography they belong to; and that no solution or ambition imposed from outside is sustainable.
It was within this general approach that in the last decade we have been working in Turkey to solve the problems of not only our Syriac citizens, but all our people who wish to further extend their democratic rights and freedoms.
Despite many revolutionary reforms carried out in the direction of democratic development, we are aware of the distance still to be covered. I can assure you that with self-confidence and determination, we shall continue to diligently take up and resolve the problems of our Syriac citizens.
Source: http://www.tccb.gov.tr/speeches-statements/344/85363/addreb-by-his-excellency-abdullah-gul-president-of-the-republic-of-turkey-at-the-swedish-parliament-.html
This is a clear Turkish message saying, among others, to the Aramean (Syriac) people:
- We don’t care about (genocide) resolutions adopted by foreign parliaments, they are counterproductive.
- We still consider you as our citizens, so we want to solve all your issues together, internally.
- Although we are determined to solve all your issues, this may take years until we reach that point.
