Turkish nationalists are set to “honor” Talaat, the chief organizer of the Armenian genocide, who was assassinated by Armenian survivor and nemesis Soghomon Tehlirian in 1921.

Talaat, who was sentenced to death penalty by Turkish military tribunal for war crimes, escaped to Berlin as a result of a secret English-Turkish deal that basically traded English prisoners with Turkish war criminals (the Turkish criminals were under English jurisdiction). Talaat pasha, the former head of the interior ministry of Turkey, escaped to Berlin and changed his name. He was, nevertheless, found by Tehlirian and assassinated. Tehlirian was recognized non-guilty by the German court, and, in essence, it was more of a trial of Talaat himself than of his assassin.

Photo: Talaat's memorial in Istanbul

In 1944, Hitler gave order to transfer Talaat’s ashes to Turkey, the president of which at the time was one of the organizers of the Armenian genocide, as well.

Photo: A Turkish nationalist, member of the Grey Wolves (Bozkurt) terrorist organization, is "honoring" the grave of Enver Pasha, one of the organizers of the Armenian genocide. Talaat's memorial can be seen on the far left (from a Turkish website)

Since then, there is memorial to that murderer in the “hill of liberty” in Istanbul, next to the tomb of Enver pasha, another chief of the Armenian genocide, whose ashes were given to Turkey by the Taliban regime of Afghanistan in the 1990s. There is a boulevard in Turkey's capital, Ankara, in "honor" of Talaat.

Photo: Turkish map showing "Talat pasha bulvari" (Talaat Pasha Boulevard) in Ankara (from www.turquie-memoire.com)

Harout Sassounian, the publisher of California Courier, in his 26 January 2006 editorial is writing:

Just last week, a new denialist group was formed consisting of 50 Turkish parliament members, retired generals, former ambassadors, leaders of political parties, university presidents, professors, editors, non-governmental organizations and a former beauty queen! The group calling itself "Great Project – 2006" is headed by Rauf Denktash, the former leader of the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Its members had their first meeting in Istanbul last week and announced that their inaugural activity would be held in Berlin on March 18-19, under the banner of "Operation Talaat Pasha." They plan to honor Talaat, the mastermind of the Armenian Genocide, on the 85th anniversary of his assassination by Soghomon Tehlirian in Berlin. The honoring of Talaat by Turks is as despicable as the honoring of Hitler by neo-Nazis!

Fanatical Turks do not seem to realize that by their actions, rather than championing the Turkish cause, they are dishonoring their own people and helping to further publicize the Armenian Genocide throughout the world. These Turks are Turkey’s worst enemies!

Sassounian's article is at http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?titl…s_Worst_Enemies.