PanARMENIAN.Net - Publications about the Armenian Genocide have been restored on the website of Lithuania's state archives, orer.eu reported.
According to the publication, archival materials dedicated to the Armenian Genocide had earlier been removed from the archive's website following pressure from the Turkish and Lithuanian foreign ministries.
"On May 8, information was received from Lithuanian government circles that all publications dedicated to the Armenian Genocide had been restored on the archive's website," the report said.
The removal of the materials became public on May 6 after Lithuanian online outlet lrt.lt published an investigative article by commentator Gabriela Zimnytaite, who said she had been informed by one of the archive's employees.
At the same time, head of the central archive service Inga Zaksauskiene confirmed that an urgent meeting with representatives of the Turkish embassy had taken place on April 28. During the meeting, the archive was allegedly accused of politicizing the issue of the Armenian Genocide.
The Turkish side also reportedly questioned why state archives were allowing the publication and dissemination of what it described as potentially political issues. Zaksauskiene told the journalist that both her service and the archive remain apolitical.
"My current position is that this is absolutely not a political issue. It is a record of historical facts confirmed by scientific research," Lithuania's chief archivist stressed.
She also said she had received no official letters or phone calls regarding the matter.
"It was simply a visit, which I would describe as an instrument of soft power aimed at politely explaining their position," Zaksauskiene noted.
Regarding the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry's involvement, head of the central archive's document dissemination department Dziuginta Abromaityene said she had received an informal phone call from ministry representatives.
"The Foreign Ministry expressed concern that the publication posted on the archive's website could damage long-term relations between Lithuania and Turkey," a response sent to Elta stated.
However, the Foreign Ministry denied giving any recommendations or instructions to state institutions on the matter.
The Turkish embassy also issued a statement saying that the Lithuanian Seimas resolution adopted in 2005 was biased and reflected only the opinion of the lawmakers who supported it.
The embassy stressed that the term "genocide" has a legal definition and can only be established by competent courts under the 1948 United Nations convention. It added that the events of 1915 remain disputed and are not an "indisputable fact."
The embassy also said Turkey does not deny the suffering experienced by Armenians during World War I and commemorates the victims, but opposes politicization of the issue. It proposed creating a joint historical commission with independent experts and called for all archives to remain open for academic research.
Lithuania's Seimas adopted a resolution on December 15, 2005 condemning the Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.
Source: PanArmenian.Net
