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PRES. SARKISIAN SHIES AWAY FROM DEMANDING COMPREHENSIVE JUSTICE FOR TURKISH-PERPETRATED GENOCIDE
By Appo Jabarian
USA Armenian Life Magazine
http://www.armenianlife.com/2011/05/20/pres-sarkisian-shies-away-from-demanding-comprehensive-justice-for-turkish-perpetrated-genocide/
May 20, 2011
A few days ago, President of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian stated that
Armenia and Turkey will reconcile only when Ankara recognizes the
Armenian Genocide. But he stopped short of amplifying the fact that
today's Armenia, as the legal successor of the 1918 Democratic Republic
of Armenia, has valid Eastern Armenian as well as Western Armenian
territorial claims against Turkey.
The 1918 Armenian republic was founded on territories of Eastern
Armenia, comprising of a land mass totaling around 60,000 sq. km. As a
result of a Communist takeover in 1920, the newly Sovietized Armenia
was further dismembered by Communist leaders in Moscow in favor of
Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia; and was reduced to a tiny 29,000 sq.
km.
As for Western Armenia, the 1920 Wilsonian Arbitral award by U.S.
President Woodrow Wilson granted Armenia the legal document to
recover the Turkish-occupied lands of Western Armenia. The Wilsonian
Arbitration is a binding international decision to which two sovereign
states - Turkey and Armenia submitted.
Instead of demanding the enforcement of the Wilsonian Arbitration,
President Sarkisian, not only steered away from land claims,
triggering a strong chain of discontent among the Armenians, he
carefully separated "demands" for Genocide recognition from the
"need" to establish relations with Turkey, claiming that "those who
are trying to present attempts to establish relations with Turkey as
reconciliation are wrong. Real reconciliation comes after recognition."
While it is understandable that Armenia and Turkey need to establish
relations, it is categorically unacceptable to see Yerevan harboring
willingness to give in to covert pressures forcing Armenia to
capitulate by relinquishing land claims against Turkey.
During President Robert Kocharyan's administration, Armenia actively
pursued a policy of "unconditional relations" with Turkey meaning
that Ankara may establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan without
imposing unfair conditions such as recognition of today's border with
Turkey; or return of liberated territories in the Republic of Artsakh
(Nagorno Karabagh).
Pres. Sarkisian's popularity dipped substantially in Armenia and its
Diaspora when Yerevan signed the Turkish-imposed infamous Protocols in
Zurich a couple of years ago under the watchful eyes of U.S. Secretary
of State "Oil Lady" Hilary Clinton and the wry smiles of Turkey's
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the architect of failed Turkish
policy of "Zero problems with neighbors."
Risking new waves of deep disappointment and possible protests both in
Armenia and Diaspora, Sarkisian said that when efforts to normalize
relations with Turkey were launched, many opponents said that the
process would impede efforts for international recognition of the
Genocide, qualifying that conjecture "was wrong."
However, it was heartening to learn that President Sarkisian is
not intent on pursuing "relations with neighbors," such as Turkey,
"at all costs."
"The fact of Armenian Genocide is indisputable and we must spare
no effort for Turkey to recognize the Genocide finally. It is a
struggle for justice and for security. It is, at the end of the day,
a struggle for inadmissibility of such crimes not only in our region,
but throughout the world," he emphasized.
The issue of Armenian Genocide reparations is directly related to
the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 committed by Kemalist Turkey
(1922-present) and two preceding Turkish regimes - Ottoman Turkey
(1453-1908) and Young Turks (1908-1922). And as such, financial,
estate and territorial reparations should be made to Armenians both
on individual and collective basis. President Sarkisian should boldly
remind and urge the Republic of Turkey, the newest Turkish successor
state deliver to the Armenian people no less than comprehensive justice
for the losses inflicted by genocide and the resulting massive illegal
confiscation of the entire territories in Eastern and Western Armenia.
Former Secretary of the UN Human Rights Committee, Professor Alfred de
Zayas, Geneva School of Diplomacy accurately defines the parameters of
justice determinedly sought by the victims of the Armenian Genocide
and their heirs: "Because of the continuing character of the crime
of genocide in factual and legal terms, the remedy of restitution has
not been foreclosed by the passage of time. Thus the survivors of the
genocide against the Armenians, both individually and collectively,
have standing to advance a claim for restitution. This has been
also the case with the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, who have
successfully claimed restitution against many States where there
property had been confiscated. Whenever possible restitutio in integrum
(complete restitution, restoration to the previous condition) should be
granted, so as to re-establish the situation that existed before the
violation occurred. But where restitutio in integrum is not possible,
compensation may be substituted as a remedy."
Armed with justice and legitimate claims for reparations and
restitutions, Armenians and their leaders can ill-afford to pursue
a defeatist policy that can bring about one capitulation after another.
Turkey remains unrepentant and continues to bully its neighbors and
the minorities in what is now called Turkey. It must be reminded by the
international community that bullying does not work and does not pay.
By Appo Jabarian
USA Armenian Life Magazine
http://www.armenianlife.com/2011/05/20/pres-sarkisian-shies-away-from-demanding-comprehensive-justice-for-turkish-perpetrated-genocide/
May 20, 2011
A few days ago, President of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian stated that
Armenia and Turkey will reconcile only when Ankara recognizes the
Armenian Genocide. But he stopped short of amplifying the fact that
today's Armenia, as the legal successor of the 1918 Democratic Republic
of Armenia, has valid Eastern Armenian as well as Western Armenian
territorial claims against Turkey.
The 1918 Armenian republic was founded on territories of Eastern
Armenia, comprising of a land mass totaling around 60,000 sq. km. As a
result of a Communist takeover in 1920, the newly Sovietized Armenia
was further dismembered by Communist leaders in Moscow in favor of
Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia; and was reduced to a tiny 29,000 sq.
km.
As for Western Armenia, the 1920 Wilsonian Arbitral award by U.S.
President Woodrow Wilson granted Armenia the legal document to
recover the Turkish-occupied lands of Western Armenia. The Wilsonian
Arbitration is a binding international decision to which two sovereign
states - Turkey and Armenia submitted.
Instead of demanding the enforcement of the Wilsonian Arbitration,
President Sarkisian, not only steered away from land claims,
triggering a strong chain of discontent among the Armenians, he
carefully separated "demands" for Genocide recognition from the
"need" to establish relations with Turkey, claiming that "those who
are trying to present attempts to establish relations with Turkey as
reconciliation are wrong. Real reconciliation comes after recognition."
While it is understandable that Armenia and Turkey need to establish
relations, it is categorically unacceptable to see Yerevan harboring
willingness to give in to covert pressures forcing Armenia to
capitulate by relinquishing land claims against Turkey.
During President Robert Kocharyan's administration, Armenia actively
pursued a policy of "unconditional relations" with Turkey meaning
that Ankara may establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan without
imposing unfair conditions such as recognition of today's border with
Turkey; or return of liberated territories in the Republic of Artsakh
(Nagorno Karabagh).
Pres. Sarkisian's popularity dipped substantially in Armenia and its
Diaspora when Yerevan signed the Turkish-imposed infamous Protocols in
Zurich a couple of years ago under the watchful eyes of U.S. Secretary
of State "Oil Lady" Hilary Clinton and the wry smiles of Turkey's
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the architect of failed Turkish
policy of "Zero problems with neighbors."
Risking new waves of deep disappointment and possible protests both in
Armenia and Diaspora, Sarkisian said that when efforts to normalize
relations with Turkey were launched, many opponents said that the
process would impede efforts for international recognition of the
Genocide, qualifying that conjecture "was wrong."
However, it was heartening to learn that President Sarkisian is
not intent on pursuing "relations with neighbors," such as Turkey,
"at all costs."
"The fact of Armenian Genocide is indisputable and we must spare
no effort for Turkey to recognize the Genocide finally. It is a
struggle for justice and for security. It is, at the end of the day,
a struggle for inadmissibility of such crimes not only in our region,
but throughout the world," he emphasized.
The issue of Armenian Genocide reparations is directly related to
the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 committed by Kemalist Turkey
(1922-present) and two preceding Turkish regimes - Ottoman Turkey
(1453-1908) and Young Turks (1908-1922). And as such, financial,
estate and territorial reparations should be made to Armenians both
on individual and collective basis. President Sarkisian should boldly
remind and urge the Republic of Turkey, the newest Turkish successor
state deliver to the Armenian people no less than comprehensive justice
for the losses inflicted by genocide and the resulting massive illegal
confiscation of the entire territories in Eastern and Western Armenia.
Former Secretary of the UN Human Rights Committee, Professor Alfred de
Zayas, Geneva School of Diplomacy accurately defines the parameters of
justice determinedly sought by the victims of the Armenian Genocide
and their heirs: "Because of the continuing character of the crime
of genocide in factual and legal terms, the remedy of restitution has
not been foreclosed by the passage of time. Thus the survivors of the
genocide against the Armenians, both individually and collectively,
have standing to advance a claim for restitution. This has been
also the case with the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, who have
successfully claimed restitution against many States where there
property had been confiscated. Whenever possible restitutio in integrum
(complete restitution, restoration to the previous condition) should be
granted, so as to re-establish the situation that existed before the
violation occurred. But where restitutio in integrum is not possible,
compensation may be substituted as a remedy."
Armed with justice and legitimate claims for reparations and
restitutions, Armenians and their leaders can ill-afford to pursue
a defeatist policy that can bring about one capitulation after another.
Turkey remains unrepentant and continues to bully its neighbors and
the minorities in what is now called Turkey. It must be reminded by the
international community that bullying does not work and does not pay.