YEREVAN (YERKIR)–Speaking to the Spanish newspaper ABC–prominent Turkish author Orhan Pamuk said the reforms carried out in the 1920’s and 30’s by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk–founder of the Turkish Republic–were not democratic–reported Noyan Tapan–citing Turkish media reports.
Pamuk added that the reforms were carried out with the help of the military and nationalists and not the people.
Speaking about the Armenian genocide–he indicated that it would be better to voice an unpleasant fact than hide it. "The republic founded by Ataturk preferred to conceal [the Armenian genocide] rather than face its history to move forward."