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Embassy Magazine, Canada
May 14 2008
Trying to Turn the Tide on Genocide Declaration
By Michelle Collins
As Turkey's new ambassador to Canada, Rafet Akgunay wants to make
clear to Canadian officials that declaring the Armenian casualties of
the First World War a genocide in 2004 remains a significant problem.
Mr. Akgunay says he has mentioned the issue in meetings with officials
at Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
since being sworn in on April 22.
He is particularly affected whenever he meets Turkish-Canadians.
"They are very hurt by this problem," he says. "They keep on informing
us how hurt they are, through day-to-day contacts with the embassy and
consular offices.
"My understanding is they are trying to do their best, that the
leadership here in Canada will hear their voices as well."
Just a few weeks after Mr. Akgunay arrived in Ottawa on April 1, an
annual protest over the Turkish government's refusal to take
responsibility for the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians was held on
Parliament Hill.
Reports say about 1,000 Armenian-Canadians marched through the city's
downtown core to the Turkish Embassy, holding up traffic along
Wellington and Rideau Streets.
"This is a very important problem between our two countries,"
Mr. Akgunay says. "Blaming another country and using words like
'genocide,' which has a legal meaning in international relations, is
not right,"
He adds that although the motion to recognize the Armenian genocide
passed while the Liberals were in power, Prime Minister Stephen Harper
made a statement in April 2006 reiterating that position.
"I hope to see an approach by the Canadian government that will be
much more balanced and reflect the realities of today," he says.
Mr. Akgunay disagrees with the position taken by Parliament on this
particular issue, though he says he came to his new posting in Ottawa
with very good feelings about Canada.
"Now I see why many peoples want to come to immigrate to Canada," he
says. "The reception that we have got since we came here has been
superb."
Mr. Akgunay says the two NATO countries have much in common, including
a shared interest in Afghanistan, where Turkey has troops in the Kabul
area.
But the ambassador says the two nations are missing some important
agreements in their bilateral relations, "especially in the economic
field."
Mr. Akgunay says bilateral trade between Canada and Turkey stood at
$1.3 billion (US) last year, a very low figure that he hopes to
improve.
"This figure is just peanuts," he says. "Turkey's geographical
location and political relations in the region will give Canadian
companies an opportunity to reach beyond Turkey. Now we are in a
customs union with the European Union, therefore it has become
attractive for many companies of the world."
With one of the most developed automotive industries in Europe, he
says, both Canada and Turkey will benefit from better
relations. Having attended a Turkish-Canadian Business Council meeting
last month, he says, he's seen firsthand that there is a growing
desire from businesspeople on both sides to work together.
To contribute to this goal, Mr. Akgunay hopes to establish direct air
links between Canada and Turkey, which he says are very important for
business, including facilitating the exchange of goods and for
tourism.
Last year, Turkey welcomed more than 20 million tourists, and, of
those, about 100,000 Canadians stepped onto Turkish soil. However,
Mr. Akgunay says the majority of these come off cruise ships, which
means there is room to expand Canadian tourism to the country.
Turkey has been working hard to refine its image and fulfil the
requirements set out for membership in the European Union. Mr. Akgunay
says the remaining hurdles to membership are largely bureaucratic and
legislative "technical issues," some of which are currently being
addressed.
For example, he says, last week, Turkish President Abdullah Gül signed
a new law on social security in the face of opposition from some
unions, closing up some of the loopholes that weakened Turkey's
article on freedom of speech.
"Things are moving," Mr. Akgunay says. "We were hoping to move faster,
but there are some things to figure out because of some opposition of
some EU members.... The talks have slowed down, but the work has not
slowed down and we will be ready for negotiations on the chapters in a
very short time."
Mr. Akgunay's diplomatic career started in 1977 after completing a
degree at Tufts University and a PhD at the Middle East Technical
University in Ankara, Turkey.
Mr. Akgunay has served in Cyprus, Israel, the Turkish mission to NATO,
Washington, and in Beijing.
Mr. Akgunay's wife Zeynep Akgunay is a professor in Turkey and will
join her husband later this summer, at the end of the school
year. Their younger of two sons will come to Canada in two years to
earn a master's after completing undergraduate studies in economics in
Ankara. Their eldest son works in Turkey.
[email protected]
http://www.embass ymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path =/2008/may/14/dipcircles/
May 14 2008
Trying to Turn the Tide on Genocide Declaration
By Michelle Collins
As Turkey's new ambassador to Canada, Rafet Akgunay wants to make
clear to Canadian officials that declaring the Armenian casualties of
the First World War a genocide in 2004 remains a significant problem.
Mr. Akgunay says he has mentioned the issue in meetings with officials
at Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
since being sworn in on April 22.
He is particularly affected whenever he meets Turkish-Canadians.
"They are very hurt by this problem," he says. "They keep on informing
us how hurt they are, through day-to-day contacts with the embassy and
consular offices.
"My understanding is they are trying to do their best, that the
leadership here in Canada will hear their voices as well."
Just a few weeks after Mr. Akgunay arrived in Ottawa on April 1, an
annual protest over the Turkish government's refusal to take
responsibility for the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians was held on
Parliament Hill.
Reports say about 1,000 Armenian-Canadians marched through the city's
downtown core to the Turkish Embassy, holding up traffic along
Wellington and Rideau Streets.
"This is a very important problem between our two countries,"
Mr. Akgunay says. "Blaming another country and using words like
'genocide,' which has a legal meaning in international relations, is
not right,"
He adds that although the motion to recognize the Armenian genocide
passed while the Liberals were in power, Prime Minister Stephen Harper
made a statement in April 2006 reiterating that position.
"I hope to see an approach by the Canadian government that will be
much more balanced and reflect the realities of today," he says.
Mr. Akgunay disagrees with the position taken by Parliament on this
particular issue, though he says he came to his new posting in Ottawa
with very good feelings about Canada.
"Now I see why many peoples want to come to immigrate to Canada," he
says. "The reception that we have got since we came here has been
superb."
Mr. Akgunay says the two NATO countries have much in common, including
a shared interest in Afghanistan, where Turkey has troops in the Kabul
area.
But the ambassador says the two nations are missing some important
agreements in their bilateral relations, "especially in the economic
field."
Mr. Akgunay says bilateral trade between Canada and Turkey stood at
$1.3 billion (US) last year, a very low figure that he hopes to
improve.
"This figure is just peanuts," he says. "Turkey's geographical
location and political relations in the region will give Canadian
companies an opportunity to reach beyond Turkey. Now we are in a
customs union with the European Union, therefore it has become
attractive for many companies of the world."
With one of the most developed automotive industries in Europe, he
says, both Canada and Turkey will benefit from better
relations. Having attended a Turkish-Canadian Business Council meeting
last month, he says, he's seen firsthand that there is a growing
desire from businesspeople on both sides to work together.
To contribute to this goal, Mr. Akgunay hopes to establish direct air
links between Canada and Turkey, which he says are very important for
business, including facilitating the exchange of goods and for
tourism.
Last year, Turkey welcomed more than 20 million tourists, and, of
those, about 100,000 Canadians stepped onto Turkish soil. However,
Mr. Akgunay says the majority of these come off cruise ships, which
means there is room to expand Canadian tourism to the country.
Turkey has been working hard to refine its image and fulfil the
requirements set out for membership in the European Union. Mr. Akgunay
says the remaining hurdles to membership are largely bureaucratic and
legislative "technical issues," some of which are currently being
addressed.
For example, he says, last week, Turkish President Abdullah Gül signed
a new law on social security in the face of opposition from some
unions, closing up some of the loopholes that weakened Turkey's
article on freedom of speech.
"Things are moving," Mr. Akgunay says. "We were hoping to move faster,
but there are some things to figure out because of some opposition of
some EU members.... The talks have slowed down, but the work has not
slowed down and we will be ready for negotiations on the chapters in a
very short time."
Mr. Akgunay's diplomatic career started in 1977 after completing a
degree at Tufts University and a PhD at the Middle East Technical
University in Ankara, Turkey.
Mr. Akgunay has served in Cyprus, Israel, the Turkish mission to NATO,
Washington, and in Beijing.
Mr. Akgunay's wife Zeynep Akgunay is a professor in Turkey and will
join her husband later this summer, at the end of the school
year. Their younger of two sons will come to Canada in two years to
earn a master's after completing undergraduate studies in economics in
Ankara. Their eldest son works in Turkey.
[email protected]
http://www.embass ymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path =/2008/may/14/dipcircles/