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APOLOGY A STEP TOWARD DEALING WITH GENOCIDE
Hurriyet
Dec 19 2008
Turkey
WASHINGTON -The petition for an apology to Armenians for events in
1915 is sparking international debate. While some Armenians feel this
petition is the beginning of Turkish recognition of the so called
Armenian genocide, the petition organizers say it is just meant to
break the taboo on debate
A leading U.S. Armenian group late Wednesday said a move by a group
of Turkish intellectuals to collectively apologize for 1915 incidents
effectively meant the beginning of a process that would lead to Turkey
facing "its genocidal past."
"An irreversible trend has commenced in Turkey. Over 12,000 people in
Turkey want history to be recorded truthfully, having already signed
the Internet-based petition apologizing for what they call the 'great
catastrophe' that befell the Armenians of Ottoman Turkey in 1915,"
said Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of
America, or AAA.
"This public apology is a first step in that direction and will
inevitably lead to Turkey coming to grips with its genocidal past,"
Ardouny said, according to an AAA statement.
However, Cengiz Aktar, widely considered the architect behind the
petition, told the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review that the
purpose of the petition was not about genocide. "Let anyone say what
they will, this is not a campaign about the genocide debate."
"This is about private individuals, citizens, acting according to the
voice of their conscience, and apologizing for the last 90 years this
topic was not even discussed," said Aktar, a BahceÅ~_ehir University
academic. Pointing out that the topic had always been a taboo, but
still so far 13,500 signatories have broken it, he said. "It has never
been discussed like this before. Next time it comes up, everybody
should take into account the 13,500 people who feel this way."
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made it clear Wednesday he would
not join the apology effort, and said, "I personally do not support
this campaign. If there was a crime, then those who committed it can
offer an apology. My nation, my country has no such issue."
More than 60 former ambassadors, other diplomats and some lawmakers
have also denounced the apology campaign. Despite this, Ardouny
said, "Momentum is building and support continues to increase
dramatically. Within a few hours of the apology's release, over 2,500
people added their signatures and made encouraging comments."
He said U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect
Joe Biden were "both on record as supporting Turkey's reconciliation
with its past."
During the election campaign Obama pledged to recognize the 1915
incidents as "genocide" if elected president. Turkey has warned
that any such recognition by the United States will hurt bilateral
relations in a major and lasting way.
New leader in House In another development, the Armenian caucus in
the U.S. House of Representatives, a powerful lobby of pro-Armenian
lawmakers, has selected Mark Kirk, a Republican from Illinois, as
its next Republican co-chair.
Kirk will replace Joe Knollenberg, a Republican from Michigan,
who lost the Nov. 4 congressional election in his district to his
Democratic rival.
Frank Pallone, a Democrat from New Jersey, continues to be the Armenian
caucus' Democratic co-chair.
"I am honored and excited to serve alongside congressman Pallone as
co-chair of the Caucus on Armenian Issues," Kirk said.
"The Caucus on Armenian Issues is well-known for its work to strengthen
the U.S.-Armenia relationship and recognize the Armenian genocide,"
he said.
--Boundary_(ID_gDfQHKC67MMrLG0bcRlD9Q)--
Hurriyet
Dec 19 2008
Turkey
WASHINGTON -The petition for an apology to Armenians for events in
1915 is sparking international debate. While some Armenians feel this
petition is the beginning of Turkish recognition of the so called
Armenian genocide, the petition organizers say it is just meant to
break the taboo on debate
A leading U.S. Armenian group late Wednesday said a move by a group
of Turkish intellectuals to collectively apologize for 1915 incidents
effectively meant the beginning of a process that would lead to Turkey
facing "its genocidal past."
"An irreversible trend has commenced in Turkey. Over 12,000 people in
Turkey want history to be recorded truthfully, having already signed
the Internet-based petition apologizing for what they call the 'great
catastrophe' that befell the Armenians of Ottoman Turkey in 1915,"
said Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of
America, or AAA.
"This public apology is a first step in that direction and will
inevitably lead to Turkey coming to grips with its genocidal past,"
Ardouny said, according to an AAA statement.
However, Cengiz Aktar, widely considered the architect behind the
petition, told the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review that the
purpose of the petition was not about genocide. "Let anyone say what
they will, this is not a campaign about the genocide debate."
"This is about private individuals, citizens, acting according to the
voice of their conscience, and apologizing for the last 90 years this
topic was not even discussed," said Aktar, a BahceÅ~_ehir University
academic. Pointing out that the topic had always been a taboo, but
still so far 13,500 signatories have broken it, he said. "It has never
been discussed like this before. Next time it comes up, everybody
should take into account the 13,500 people who feel this way."
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made it clear Wednesday he would
not join the apology effort, and said, "I personally do not support
this campaign. If there was a crime, then those who committed it can
offer an apology. My nation, my country has no such issue."
More than 60 former ambassadors, other diplomats and some lawmakers
have also denounced the apology campaign. Despite this, Ardouny
said, "Momentum is building and support continues to increase
dramatically. Within a few hours of the apology's release, over 2,500
people added their signatures and made encouraging comments."
He said U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect
Joe Biden were "both on record as supporting Turkey's reconciliation
with its past."
During the election campaign Obama pledged to recognize the 1915
incidents as "genocide" if elected president. Turkey has warned
that any such recognition by the United States will hurt bilateral
relations in a major and lasting way.
New leader in House In another development, the Armenian caucus in
the U.S. House of Representatives, a powerful lobby of pro-Armenian
lawmakers, has selected Mark Kirk, a Republican from Illinois, as
its next Republican co-chair.
Kirk will replace Joe Knollenberg, a Republican from Michigan,
who lost the Nov. 4 congressional election in his district to his
Democratic rival.
Frank Pallone, a Democrat from New Jersey, continues to be the Armenian
caucus' Democratic co-chair.
"I am honored and excited to serve alongside congressman Pallone as
co-chair of the Caucus on Armenian Issues," Kirk said.
"The Caucus on Armenian Issues is well-known for its work to strengthen
the U.S.-Armenia relationship and recognize the Armenian genocide,"
he said.
--Boundary_(ID_gDfQHKC67MMrLG0bcRlD9Q)--