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ARMENIANS CRITICIZE, PRAISE OBAMA'S STANCE ON "GENOCIDE"
BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit
April 8, 2009 Wednesday
US President Barack Obama's statement on 6 April that he would not
interfere in the dispute over whether the killings of Armenians in
Ottoman Turkey in 1915 constituted genocide has drawn both criticism
and praise in Armenia.
"Obama's behaviour indicates that he is a knowledgeable and smart
figure. He gave a promise of recognition when he needed to give such
a promise, and now he is explaining why he is not keeping it," the
Lragir website said on 7 April.
"Some experts in Armenia are already voicing opinions on TV that Obama
is not going to recognize the genocide in the interest of the Armenian
people, in order not to harm the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. I
wonder what the US interest is. Is it in the US interest to recognize
the genocide," a Lragir commentator said.
The opposition daily Haykakan Zhamanak, however, commended Obama,
saying that his aim was to avoid harming the Turkish-Armenian dialogue.
"The US president clearly implied that regardless of what his stance
is, the Armenian-Turkish dialogue is more important now, and it could
stop if he used that word," the paper said. "By not using the word
genocide, Obama is trying to push Turkey to open the border, and this
has seriously hurt Turkey's 'brotherly' relations with Azerbaijan,"
the paper said.
During his speech in Turkish parliament, Obama reportedly said that
Ankara could play a "constructive" role in the resolution of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Commenting
on this statement, Haykakan Zhamanak said: "While he did not elaborate
on what Ankara's role is going to be, it is obvious that Washington
intends to give Turkey a crucial role in the Karabakh settlement."
The Armenian newspapers Azg and Hayots Ashkharh quoted Hayk Demoyan,
head of the Armenian Genocide Museum, as saying Armenia and Turkey
are likely to restore diplomatic relations.
"If you refuse to establish diplomatic relations with a neighbour,
you show your hostile attitude towards it. I think that one of the
first steps that Turkey may take even if it is not ready to open
the border would be signing documents on establishing international
relations," Demoyan said.
As for the prospect of Turkey reopening the Armenian border,
Demoyan said: "It doesn't take an economist to understand that
having a railroad checkpoint that connects us with the world is in
our interest," he said. He added that many countries were interested
in the reopening of the border. "There are stimuli from the European
Union that they want to see the border open. This makes Turkey
uncomfortable because it makes less space for the Turkish leadership
for manoeuvring," he added.
The Aravot daily published an interview with Turkish columnist
Mehtat Melen, who called for a closer relationship with former Soviet
republics in the Caucasus region, including Armenia.
"I have been saying for the past 10 years that we should have closer
relations with the Caucasus," Melen said. Commenting on the genocide
issue, Melen said the drive to secure international recognition of
the 1915 killings as genocide was not in Armenia's interests.
"I trust the reasonableness of Armenians in Armenia, not Armenians in
the USA. They abuse it, and do it against the Armenians of the Republic
of Armenia and harm our relations," the Turkish columnist said. "You
too live in bad economic conditions like everyone else in the region
because all the economic issues have been left out, including by Mr
Erdogan. Who is winning? Some people who live in the States."
BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit
April 8, 2009 Wednesday
US President Barack Obama's statement on 6 April that he would not
interfere in the dispute over whether the killings of Armenians in
Ottoman Turkey in 1915 constituted genocide has drawn both criticism
and praise in Armenia.
"Obama's behaviour indicates that he is a knowledgeable and smart
figure. He gave a promise of recognition when he needed to give such
a promise, and now he is explaining why he is not keeping it," the
Lragir website said on 7 April.
"Some experts in Armenia are already voicing opinions on TV that Obama
is not going to recognize the genocide in the interest of the Armenian
people, in order not to harm the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. I
wonder what the US interest is. Is it in the US interest to recognize
the genocide," a Lragir commentator said.
The opposition daily Haykakan Zhamanak, however, commended Obama,
saying that his aim was to avoid harming the Turkish-Armenian dialogue.
"The US president clearly implied that regardless of what his stance
is, the Armenian-Turkish dialogue is more important now, and it could
stop if he used that word," the paper said. "By not using the word
genocide, Obama is trying to push Turkey to open the border, and this
has seriously hurt Turkey's 'brotherly' relations with Azerbaijan,"
the paper said.
During his speech in Turkish parliament, Obama reportedly said that
Ankara could play a "constructive" role in the resolution of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Commenting
on this statement, Haykakan Zhamanak said: "While he did not elaborate
on what Ankara's role is going to be, it is obvious that Washington
intends to give Turkey a crucial role in the Karabakh settlement."
The Armenian newspapers Azg and Hayots Ashkharh quoted Hayk Demoyan,
head of the Armenian Genocide Museum, as saying Armenia and Turkey
are likely to restore diplomatic relations.
"If you refuse to establish diplomatic relations with a neighbour,
you show your hostile attitude towards it. I think that one of the
first steps that Turkey may take even if it is not ready to open
the border would be signing documents on establishing international
relations," Demoyan said.
As for the prospect of Turkey reopening the Armenian border,
Demoyan said: "It doesn't take an economist to understand that
having a railroad checkpoint that connects us with the world is in
our interest," he said. He added that many countries were interested
in the reopening of the border. "There are stimuli from the European
Union that they want to see the border open. This makes Turkey
uncomfortable because it makes less space for the Turkish leadership
for manoeuvring," he added.
The Aravot daily published an interview with Turkish columnist
Mehtat Melen, who called for a closer relationship with former Soviet
republics in the Caucasus region, including Armenia.
"I have been saying for the past 10 years that we should have closer
relations with the Caucasus," Melen said. Commenting on the genocide
issue, Melen said the drive to secure international recognition of
the 1915 killings as genocide was not in Armenia's interests.
"I trust the reasonableness of Armenians in Armenia, not Armenians in
the USA. They abuse it, and do it against the Armenians of the Republic
of Armenia and harm our relations," the Turkish columnist said. "You
too live in bad economic conditions like everyone else in the region
because all the economic issues have been left out, including by Mr
Erdogan. Who is winning? Some people who live in the States."