Armenian Diaspora" src="http://www.yerevanreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Erdogan-Slams-Armenian-Diaspora-in-Turkish-Parliament.jpg" alt="Erdogan Slams Armenian Diaspora in Turkish Parliament" width="307" height="210" />YEREVAN (Tert.am), June 2–In a harshly worded speech before the Turkish parliament over the recent Israeli raid on a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip which killed several people, among them also Turkish citizens, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also referred to the reason why he cancelled his planned visit to Argentina in the framework of his Latin American tour.

“Much in the same way as we attach importance to the values of each country and treat them with tolerance, they too must accept our values in the same way. Naturally, I consider it useful to remember that such acts of the Armenian Diaspora can give benefit neither to Armenia, nor to the Armenian people, and nor to third countries. On the contrary, they are detrimental. Much in the same way as they put Armenia in a tough situation, the initiatives of the Diaspora irresponsibly put [also] third countries in a difficult situation, as it was with Argentina. I hope that all those who for their domestic political benefits are addicted to the Armenian Diaspora and become its hostage, will soon see how much damage they cause to both Armenia and their countries,” Erdogan said.

On Monday, Erdogan canceled his visit to Argentina as soon as he was informed that the Buenos Aires city administration had annulled a decision to erect a bust of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the city.