Opposition Deputy Sues British Blue Book

Sukru Elekdag Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy and retired ambassador is suing publisher Muzaffer Erdogdu for the Turkish translation "The Treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, 1915-1916, Correspondence by Viscount Bryce to Viscount Grey of Falladon" which is also known as "The Blue Book" in diplomatic tradition.

The book covers the correspondence and memoirs of witnesses and officials including refugees and foreign dignitaries, as well as newspaper articles, on controversial developments related to the treatment of Armenians in the period of 1915 and 1916.

Elekdag, a member of the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Commission and the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission, is demanding 20 thousand YTL (USD15 thousand) in libel damages from those involved in the publishing of the book, claiming he was insulted in a section of the book edited by historian Taner Akcam.

The book's publisher Erdogdu, historian Akcam and translator Ahmet Guner will together appear before a court on May 30 as defendants in the case. Akcam is also being accused by Elekdag for a similar article he wrote for the monthly Birikim magazine last year.

The "Blue Book" contains research conducted by James Bryce and Arnold Toynbee who in February 1916 were tasked by the British government on a fact-finding mission to "collect evidence with regard to recent incidents taking place in Armenia".

The eventual report titled "The Treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire" was prepared by the two and later published as part of the British Parliament "Blue Book" series, earning this book the nickname of "Blue Book".

Elekdag: I was insulted

In his suit, Elekdag claims defendant historian Akcam committed offence in pages 15-49 of the book under the section titled "A scandal: Where is the letter of the TBMM (Grand National Assembly of Turkey) Sukru Elekdag and Justin Mc Carthy dragging this country?" as well as in Akcam's article published in the May-June 2005 dated issue of the Birikim magazine.

Elekdag charges that both the book and the article insulted him and that his individual rights had been attacked. He also says both his professionalism and credibility suffered severe damages due to the two articles. (EO/KO/II/YE)