VZCZCXRO4978
RR RUEHDF
DE RUEHAK #7247 3461141
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121141Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1846
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0003
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 9274
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0249
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU//TCH//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS ANKARA 007247 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL TU IR
SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA SPOKESMAN ON IRANIAN LEADER'S DECEMBER 
8 HOLOCAUST STATEMENT 
 
 
¶1. (U) On 9 December 2005, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman 
Namik Tan delivered a statement in reply to a question about 
Iranian President Ahmadi-Nejad's 8 December 2005 statement 
casting doubt on the holocaust.  The text of the Turkish 
statement is below. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin Text: 
It is very important today to promote and develop dialog, 
understanding, and friendship between countries and nations. 
This is all the more vital in a world which has been riddled 
with problems for such a long time.  It is not possible to 
approve of such confrontational statements at a time when 
what is needed is dialog, compromise, and cooperation.  Such 
statements will not promote the interests of either those who 
issue them or anyone else.  They can only fuel instability 
and the crisis of confidence. 
 
That the Jews were subjected to genocide during World War I 
(Holocaust) is an historical fact which hurt the conscience 
of humanity.  This crime against humanity has been recognized 
by international law, too. 
 
Our country extended help to those Jews who fled Nazi tyranny 
by admitting them as refugees.  Our country is also a 
signatory to a recent related resolution passed by the United 
Nations General Assembly. 
 
It should be everybody's priority to try to solve the 
existing problems and prevent new problems and disasters. 
End text. 
WILSON