“I do not think that US President Barack Obama will call 1915 events in Ottoman Turkey as the “Armenian genocide”, considers Mubariz Ahmedoghlu, head of the Baku based Center of Political Innovations and Technologies. He said the shift of powers in the United States does not mean changes in the external political course of the United States. “Certainly, there will be some changes in the external policy of the United States, but on the whole I think these changes will make about 5-10%, that is, they will be insignificant. (more…)
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
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Presentation of the Turkish Version of the book ‘’Genocide of Truth’’
Presentation of the Turkish Version of the book ‘’Genocide of Truth’’
Soykırım Tacirleri ve Gercekleri – Turk Aleytari ve Tarafsiz Yabanci Belgelerle Diaspora Yalanlarinin Icyuzu. By Turkish Businesman and Turkish Forum Advisory Board Member Sukru Server Aya
Istanbul Ticaret Universitesi, 19 Ocak 2009, Monday
The program was on the presentation of a book in Turkish and the language of the program and the speakers were also in Turkish. This commentary on the book and the presentation is in English for the benefit of readers in America and other countries.
The primary purpose of Sukru Aya in publishing his book in English was to inform the foreigners (students, media members, businessmen, legislators, the public, etc.) on a subject which has been told to the world through fabrications, distortions and out right lies. An example of this was a poster displayed at the university’s reception area was a manipulated photograph of Mustafa Kemal.
Tomorrow Senator Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States and judging from his campaign speeches, he will state that the Ottoman Turks committed genocide against Armenians, which is a lie as shown in Sukru Aya’s book.
The program started around 11:00 AM in the Conference Room of the Istanbul Commerce University where there were over 80 participants, including the Honorary Chairman of Koc Holding Rahmi Koc, Miss Europe of 1952, Gunseli Basar, Sami Kohen from Milliyet, Tufan Gunes from Huriyet, Ruhat mengi from Vatan and other media members and many dignitaries. There were also three Tarsus American High School graduates, Nabi Eren and Yucel. There were very few students and most of the participants were over the age of 50, an observation also noted by Commerce University Rector Ates Vuran during his opening remarks.
Opening Speeches
The first speaker was Lawyer Elif Derbeder representing the brave publisher of the book, Derin Yayinlari. She said that her company strives to publish books in different subjects.
The second speaker was Lawyer Kegam Karabetyan who also wrote the Preface to the book. He made a passionate speech, first stating that he is an Armenian Turk originally from Kastamonu and now lives in Istanbul, practicing law and getting involved in community projects. Referring to the sad events in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, Karabetyan stated that some Armenians were used by the Western powers for their own purposes, specifically the Russians, the French and the British, and that he was here to tell the truth. He said that he met Sukru Aya at a conference where the former head of the Turkish Historical Society Yusuf Halacoglu was a speaker. He ended his remarks with Ataturk’s famous saying, ‘’Ne Mutlu Turkum Diyene.’’
The Rector of Commerce Universty, Ates Vuran, began his remarks with a reminiscence of an experience at the VIP Lounge at the JFK Airport, in fact in the WC, where he noticed Rahmi Koc. After saying hello to Rahmi Koc, Vuran told him how much he appreciated the service at his newly opened stored in the US and wanted to share this with him. After he arrived to Istanbul, he received a letter from Rahmi Koc with a copy of the note that he sent to the store owner, thanking for his remarks. Than the Rector told about his experince and the difficulties that he encountered in publish ‘’Genocide of Truth’’ which he sent to University libaries in Turkey, Europe and the US.
Rector Vuran stated that he read the book himself and also had it reviewed by the Turkish Historical Society. Finding the book to be very useful, he had the university sponsor the first printing of 3,000 and distributed to University libraries, media members and sent 500 copies to various universities and media gropus in the US.
The next speaker listed on the program was Bulent Akarcali who has been instrumental in convincing Sukru Aya to publish the book. Unfortunatley he was not in attendance, probably working on his staregy to win the race for the Mayor of Cankaya as a canditate from AKP.. In his place, Prof. Dr. Orhan Cekic made an excellent presentation, including a summary of the decision of the European Council of Justice (Avrupa Adalet Divani) on the lawsuit brought against the EU by an Armenian organisation in France on the Armenian issue, denying their requst that Turkey admit genocide as a condition for EU membership, asking them to bring forth a Court decision on the Genocide, which of course does not exist. Prof. Cekic also mentioed that bad things are taking place such as the murder of Hrant Dink on Jan 19, 2007 and the mourder of Turkish diplmat Bahadir demir in California on Jan 27, 1973.
Sukru Aya’s Presentation
Sukru Aya also made a very passionate speech, first stating that participants from Cyprus, Bursa, Adapazari and othet cities had come for the program. He presented backround information on the publication of the english version of his book, which he said had not received the proper attention from the media or the public, stating that since April 14, 2008, only 4 review of his book has been published. Sukru Aya made reference to the Armenian revolts starting with the Zeytoon uprising in 1859, followed by many others including the revolt in Maras in 1895.
Question and Answer Session
Before the question and answer session, a short documentary was shown on the atrocities committed by Armenian rebels and the events that led to the re-location in 915. Afterwards, Ruhat Mengi from Vatan took to the podium and objected to Sukru Aya’s statement that the media has not shown enough involvement in the Armenian issue, giving her own struggle as an example, even having to defend her writings in court, especially in a case started by Halil Berktay. She referred to the efforts of Yusuf Halacoglu, wondering why he was dismissed as the head of the Turkish Historical Society who has invited Armenian historians for meetings but were ignored. Than Ruhat Mengi made reference to the ‘’Apology campaign’’, stating that those who started it had close connections with the Armenian diaspora.
After Ruhat Mengi finished her comments, I looked around to see if anyone from AGOS newspaper was in the room, the largest circulating Armenian weekly in Istanbul. Quite by coincidence, today was the 2nd anniversary of the murder of Hrant Dink, the founder and the publisher of the Armenian newspaper. There were commemoration services at his grave and other places and almost all newspapers covered the story, including Birgun with a full front page photograph of Hrant Dink and the funeral procession in the full back page, which I had also participated in. In an open letter to Turkish readers published in AGOS (9 Jan 2009), Jean Kehayan wrote that those who were signing the apology statement were ‘’Turkey’s Pride.’’
It will be interesting to see if Birgun and other newspapers will cover this very meaningful and important book presentation. I am sure Ruhat Mengi and others who came to the presentationwill. I wonder if the Turkish Daily News (now known as the Hurriyet Daily News) will write about this as they had covered a conference at Bilgi University last year where Sarafian was the star attraction and was given a copy of ‘’Genocide of Truth’’ by Sukru Aya but never mentioned it in any of his endless papers.
The first question was by Rahmi Koc.. ‘’What do you think Barack Obama will do on the Armenian issue.’’ I missed the answer but yesterday, ANCA sent a letter to Senator Obama which should answer Rahmi Koc’s question. (copy of the letter si given below which shows how the Armenian diaspora works closely. I am afraid Senator Obama will support the Armenian Genocide Resolution when he is the 44th President of the USA.
Unfortunatly I could not stay until the end of the programdue to other committments but took the box of borek and baklava with me which I enjoyed while driving to Esenyurt. Thank you Sukru Bey and his assistant Serpil Hanim for her contributions.
Yuksel Oktay
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Turkey warns US over recognizing Armenian claims on 1915 incidents
Turkey warns US over recognizing Armenian claims on 1915 incidents .hurriyet
Turkey’s foreign minister has warned Barack Obama’s incoming administration that any U.S. recognition of Armenian claims regarding the 1915 incidents could derail reconciliation efforts between the two neighbors.
“It would not be very rational for a third country to take a position on this issue… A wrong step by the United States will harm the process,” the Anatolia news agency quoted Ali Babacan as saying late Friday.
Turkey has “never been closer” to normalizing ties with Armenia, its eastern neighbor, and a breakthrough could be secured in 2009, the minister said, according to the AFP.
Obama, who takes office Tuesday, pledged to his Armenian-American supporters during his election campaign to recognize the 1915 incidents as “genocide”.
The issue of 1915 incidents is highly sensitive for Armenia as well as Turkey. Around 300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks, died in civil strife that emerged when Armenians took up arms, backed by Russia, for independence in eastern Anatolia.
However Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915. The issue remains unsolved as Armenia drags its feet in accepting Turkey’s proposal of forming a commission to investigate the claims.
ISSUE DISCUSSED BY TWO COUNTRIES
Babacan said the dispute was among the issues that Ankara and Yereven had been discussing since reconciliation efforts gathered steam in September when Turkish President Abdullah Gul paid a landmark visit to Armenia, AFP reported citing Anatolian Agency’s report.
“Turkey and Armenia have never been closer to a plan on normalizing relations,” Anatolia quoted Babacan as saying.
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations and their border has been closed for more than a decade, as Armenia presses the international community to admit the so-called “genocide” claims instead of accepting Turkey’s call to investigate the allegations, and Armenia’s invasion of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan.
The fence-mending process, he said, was boosted by similar reconciliation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a close ally of Turkey.
“The prospect of normalizing relations both between Azerbaijan and Armenia and between Turkey and Armenia in 2009 is not a dream,” he added.
Gul became the first Turkish head of state to visit Armenia when he travelled to Yerevan in September to watch a World Cup qualifying football match between the two countries on the invitation of his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian.
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European Union pays huge money to the organizers of Internet-campaign for apologizing to Armenians in Turkey
Baku-APA. The European Union was a promoter of the Internet-campaign for apologizing to Armenians in Turkey and paid huge money to the organizers of this campaign, the Turkish sources told APA.
Founders of the Helsinki Civil Assembly in Turkey professors Ahmet Insel and Halil Berktay, professor of the Bilgi University Murad Belge, Kurdish national Sherafettin Elchi, Kanal D presenter Mehmet Ali Birand, writer Adalet Agaoglu received 107 thousand 414 euro for each of them, professor Ibrahim Kaboglu – 193 thousand 548.73 euro, journalist Mine Kirikkanat – 70 thousand euro, professor Atilla Yayla – 449 thousand 620.40 euro, communist Ertogrul Kurkchu – 809 thousand 414 euro, “Mazlumder” circle – 81 thousand 735.15 euro, editor of the Armenian “Agos” newspaper Etien Mahchupian – one million 32 thousand 921.35 euro.
For this money they have to provide the Internet-campaign “We apologize to Armenians” and to involve more people in this campaign.
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OBAMA’S POLICY AND THE RECOGNITION OF ALLEGED GENOCIDE
NEW U.S. ADMINISTRATION MAJORITY STANDS FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION
Majority of the U.S. 111th Congress members stand for recognition of the Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in 1915, Armenian National Committee of America Communications Director Elizabeth Chouljian told PanARMENIAN.Net.
“April 24, 1915, signified the beginning of a systematic attempt by the Ottoman regime to deport and exterminate Armenians from the Anatolian Peninsula. Over the next 8 years, 1 1/2 million Armenian people were murdered by minions of the Ottoman Empire. Those who were spared were driven from their homes. It is for those victims, and it is for all oppressed peoples today, those who have died and those who survived, that we take time to reflect on the Armenian genocide and its implications for all of us today,” said CIA Director-designate Leon Panetta.
Interior Secretary-designate Ken Salazar, Labor Secretary-designate Hilda Solis and Transportation Secretary-designate Ray LaHood are among Cosponsors of Armenian Genocide Resolution H.Res.106.
In addition to Administration officials, the U.S. Congress is today led by among the most energetic and vocal advocates of American recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
“A grave injustice was committed and the fact that our nation is not officially recognizing these crimes as genocide is a disappointment,” said Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
“It truly saddens me that after 93 years, the U.S. has failed to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide for what it was,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.“Genocide is a very powerful word, and should be reserved for only the most horrific examples of mass killing motivated by a desire to destroy an entire people. Without a doubt, this term is appropriate to describe the unimaginable atrocities suffered by the Armenian people from 1915 to 1918,” said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman.
“Acknowledging when genocide has occurred is not simply a theoretical or legal exercise. It is key to preventing genocide from happening again. That’s why, in my view, we must change U.S. policy to reflect the true nature of the tragic events that were perpetrated against the Armenians by calling them what they were: genocide,” said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry.
15 January 2009, Resource : Panarmenian
