Turkish Forum

Category: Armenian Question

“The great Turk is governing in peace twenty nations from different religions. Turks have taught to Christians how to be moderate in peace and gentle in victory.”Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary

  • Position of the European Armenian Federation

    Position of the European Armenian Federation

    ARMENIANS STILL DEMAND RECOGNITION AND REPARATION OF THEIR GENOCIDE BY TURKEY

    The European Armenian Federation has carefully followed recent debates in Turkey regarding the Armenian Genocide.

    We have noted the development of a new campaign in Turkey by which the Armenian people would need appeasement provided by certain strata of Turkish society, thereby solving the Armenian question without causing too much damage to Turkey.

    While being fully receptive to genuine expressions of sympathy and outreach by Turkish individuals who choose to speak out against their own government’s policy of denial of the Armenian Genocide, we must also make clear that the cause of justice with regard to this mass crime cannot be “apologized” away by populist initiatives, however well-intentioned such actions might seem to be.

    The recently publicized “apology” campaign in Turkey is, indeed, a populist initiative, which deliberately avoids the term “genocide” and which, by so doing, intends to de-criminalize the destruction by the Ottoman Turkish government of 1,5 million Armenians, as precisely claimed one of its initiators, Mr. Baskin Oran in a Turkish newspaper (Milliyet – December 19, 2008).

    The Armenian Genocide is a crime against Humanity committed by Ottoman Turkey and recognised as such by the legislatures of a growing number of countries, especially of modern democracies, including the European Parliament. It was jointly recognized in 1915 by France, England and Russia, the world powers of the period.

    The present Turkish government – the successor state of the Ottoman Empire and the notorious beneficiary of Ottoman Turkey’s genocidal undertakings – must formally recognize this Genocide and take full responsibility for all its legal consequences under the United Nations Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide instead of pursuing an aggressive policy of denial in every capital of the world: there is no other alternative for Turkey than Recognition and Reparation of the Armenian Genocide, supplemented by the Education and Prevention of new crimes that would threaten the safety of Armenians and all people living in the area.

    Armenians have inalienable rights to justice and truth within the framework of international law as clearly expressed in the Charter of the European Armenians officially adopted in October 2004.

    The Turkish civil society must also come to terms with this hard reality: What happened in Turkey during 1915 through 1923 was a full-fledged genocide which cannot be characterized in another way. Relying on euphemistic and evasive language will simply prolong Turkey’s denialist worldview and leave these burning issues unaddressed for another generation.

    The Armenian Genocide was and continues to be an undeniable crime against Humanity, which requires a political solution that cannot be reduced to civil society’s expediencies or to inconsequential dialogues between peoples.

  • Armenians respond to apology

    Armenians respond to apology


    ISTANBUL – The apology campaign initiated by a group of Turkish intellectuals has inspired Armenians to launch a similar initiative to apologize to the Turks for murders committed by the Asala organization in the 1980s.

    Dr. Armen Gavakian from the Macquarie University in Sydney, who is also co-chair of the Turkish-Armenian Dialogue Group, is behind the initiative. The statement will be opened for signatures next week, Gavakian told daily Radikal. “Through this campaign we will show that we support our Turkish friends’ campaign with all our heart,” he said. The petition will read: “I apologize to the Ottomans and Turks for murders committed in the name of the Armenian people and I empathize with the feelings and pain of the Ottomans and Turks.”

    Gavakian said Turks’ “I apologize” campaign inspired him to launch a similar effort. “This was a great initiative that was proof of nobility since it is hard to face one’s past, whether as an individual or a nation É I hope the Armenians can show the same courage as the Turks and face the skeletons in their own closet,” he said.

    “My conscience does not accept the insensitivity and the denial of the ’Great Catastrophe’ that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers and sisters. I apologize to them,” said the Turkish campaign’s petition signed by more than 30,000 people so far.

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  • Would ‘Washington Post’ writer David Ignatius put his arm on President Obama during a debate?

    Would ‘Washington Post’ writer David Ignatius put his arm on President Obama during a debate?

    Phil Weiss

    […]

    And yes, while Ignatius has been forward-thinking/realist since, he can be justly scored, I think, for putting his hand on the Turkish Prime Minister to stop the debate so everyone could go to dinner the other night at Davos. It’s easy to say this in retrospect, but there was no sense on Ignatius’s part of the Moment. Ignatius should have extended the time to let both men finish their points, Peres and Erdogan. Let the stomachs grumble. As it is, he appeared to dis the P.M.–and as we see, appearance is everything in these matters–and failed to recognize that when you give a stage to a man defending the slaughter of 450 children, the placement of the salad fork should not be the highest concern, a structural problem with the Establishment, in my humble opinion.

    […]

    …and I'm to blame?

    Source: www.philipweiss.org

  • Turkey’s Opposition CHP backs PM in Davos

    Turkey’s Opposition CHP backs PM in Davos

    Turkey’s CHP backs PM in Davos, blames for using issue for elections

    What was done against Turkish prime minister during a Gaza session in Davos was injustice, Deniz Baykal, the leader of main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) said on Sunday, but added the issue is being used by the premier as a material for upcoming local elections.

    Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had stormed out of the tense Gaza session with Israel’s President Shimon Peres on Thursday in Davos after the moderator, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, refused to give him floor.

    Source:  Hurriyet, 01 Feb 2009

  • Serge Sargsian, Recep Tayyip Erdogan meet in Davos

    Serge Sargsian, Recep Tayyip Erdogan meet in Davos

    Published: Friday January 30, 2009

    Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey meets with President Serge Sargsian of Armenia on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Jan. 29, 2009. Press office of the President of Armenia

    Yerevan – The president of Armenia and prime minister of Turkey met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland, this week.

    According to The Associated Press, Mr. Sargsian said that talks with Mr. Erdogan were “very useful.” Speaking to reporters following their meeting, Mr. Sargsian said, “I’ve seen a willingness of the prime minister to solve our issues. I think this is a positive signal.”

    According to Reuters, Mr. Erdogan said that talks between the two countries could yield a roadmap for relations if Yerevan shows a “sincere” attitude. The Turkish prime minister during a panel session at the forum said, “It would be a shame if all these efforts are made a victim of [the Armenian] diaspora’s works.” This was not the only time Mr. Erdogan tried to drive a wedge between Armenia and the diaspora. According to Today’s Zaman, Mr. Erdogan also had the following to say: “The Armenian diaspora is plotting. But we can see very clearly and sharply that their efforts are aimed at utilizing [this issue]. This is obvious. But I also see that the current administration in Armenia doesn’t take part in this,” Mr. Erdogan stressed.

    Relations between Armenia and Turkey began to thaw after Mr. Sargsian invited Turkey’s President Abdullah Gül to Yerevan to watch the World Cup qualifying match between the two country’s national soccer teams in September 2008.

    Source:  The Armenian Reporter,  January 30, 2009

  • LEVON MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN: “KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL EITHER BE SETTLED BY FORCE OR REMAIN FROZEN FOR A LONG TIME”

    LEVON MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN: “KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL EITHER BE SETTLED BY FORCE OR REMAIN FROZEN FOR A LONG TIME”
    30 January 2009, Resource : Today Az

    “The Karabakh conflict cannot be settled at the negotiation table”, said political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan, commenting on the results of the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents.

    “Sargsyan and Aliyev’s meeting was formal and nothing new was said during it. No changes are expected in the positions of the Armenian and Azerbaijani parties on the Karabakh issue”, said the political scientist.

    He considers that problems at the negotiation table can be settled in case there are contañt points, while Karabakh issue lacks them.

    “The positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan fully contradict to each others”, noted Melik-Shahnazaryan.

    According to the political scientist, the conflict will be settled either by force, when Azerbaijan will be the initiator, or remain frozen for a long time.

    He also added that Armenia should strive to get maximal benefit from the quo status around Karabakh problem, developing economically.