Cecen
09-09-2006, 15:32
Current Mid-east Confusion Brings Historians Back to Ottomans Saturday, September 09, 2006 zaman.com http://www.zaman.com/2006/09/09/halacoglu_b.jpg The Middle East experienced its most peaceful and glorious years during the Ottoman Empire. Lands sacred to Muslims, Christians and Jews enjoyed peace and comfort for nearly 400 years. However, the region has not experienced such stability and harmony since the fall of the Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago. With the recent crises in the Middle East, historians have focused their attention on the Ottomans. With the forthcoming 15th Turkish History Congress (TTK) to be held next week, 750 foreign experts have submitted statements and articles. Responding to Zaman’s questions, Prof. Yusuf Halacoglu, chair of the Turkish History Council, said: “That the lands in the Middle East previously belonged within the domains of the Ottoman Empire encourages historians to study more.” Foreign scientists are eager to present their statements on Turkish history during the 15th TTK. Only 350 of the statements have been approved in the congress. The participation demand derived from increasing curiosity about Turkey and the Ottomans from historians. Halacoglu remarked that they had to reduce the number of historians from 750 to 310 due to the limited time. The chair of TTK noted that the participants know both the Ottoman Turkish language and contemporary Turkish. During the congress, the presentations will cover several different topics, and experts will be able to express their views freely, Halacoglu stated. Controversial issues like the Armenians and missionary work will also be discussed in the congress. Halacoglu claimed there might also be people backing the Armenian genocide, and added, “They should base their claims on firm ground because we have our own information to refute their claims.” bron (zaman.com)