Dry Bones once again nails the latest on Turkey’s hypocrisy and reckless actions. Military Strategist Edward Luttwak reminds us that the Turkish FM is an “idiot”.
Armenians Press For Court Ruling Against Turkey in US
US Armenians, pressing for a court decision against Turkey for violating the property rights of Ottoman Armenians during World War I, have complained that the Turkish government has ignored a lawsuit brought against Turkey in a Los Angeles court.
Plaintiffs argue that Turkey seized land belonging to their relatives when its owners fled Anatolia during what Armenians call a genocide campaign. The land in the southern province of Adana, which is now occupied by the ?ncirlik Air Base used by the US military, was then sold without the permission of the Armenian owners, according to the lawyers of the plaintiffs. The complaints target Turkey and two Turkish banks, the Central Bank of Turkey and Ziraat Bank.
Turkey had 60 day to answer the complaint, which expired on Aug. 19, 2011, but it has so far refused to answer. Lawyers for the plaintiffs announced that on Sept. 6 the Turkish government is in default for ignoring the lawsuit.
The default notice was entered on Sept. 1, 2011. The Central Bank of Turkey and Ziraat Bank, on the other hand, requested and were given an extension to respond to the complaints by Sept. 19.
“The US Department of State had sent a diplomatic note to Ankara warning that the country is bound by law to defend itself against the lawsuit,” said Vartkes Yeghiayan of the Yeghiayan Law Firm, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs.
Lawyers claim by refusing to respond Turkey risks having the court rule against it in absentia and add that damages could be as high as $100 million. Lawyer Günay Evinch, who is representing the two banks in the case, said on Friday that Turkey’s refusal to respond to the Armenian complaints indicates that Turkey sees it as a matter of sovereignty.
“Apparently, Turkey is refusing to appear before the court to prevent another country from judging its history, in protection of its sovereignty,” lawyer Evinch was quoted by the Anatolia news agency. Evinch also noted that the handling of such a fragile case by a state court is controversial because this indicates that Washington has given up its rights to shape foreign policy to a state court.
And the recent news about Turkey’s disproportionate bombing response to Kurdish Freedom Fighters as reported by the BBC:
Turkey reports heavy PKK losses after week of bombing
Aug 23, 2011
“The Turkish army says it has killed up to 100 Kurdish rebels in a week of air and artillery strikes on suspected PKK bases in northern Iraq.
A statement on the army website said that, according to its estimates, between 90 and 100 were killed and more than 80 wounded.
The PKK has confirmed three deaths, while local reports say a family of seven were killed by the bombing.
Turkey began the strikes after deadly PKK attacks on its soldiers.”
