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ISOLATING TURKEY ON THE ARMENIAN ISSUE
Today's Zaman, Turkey
June 19 2013
by Mehmet Fatih OZTARSU*
19 June 2013 /
The political, economic and cultural changes experienced by Turkey
and many neighboring countries over more than a century opened the
door to nationalism, ethnicity problems and renewal processes tied
to the building of nation-states.
And while this period brought with it warfare and clashes, it also
made it easier for the various peoples of the Ottoman Empire, Russia
and Iran -- caught up in this stage of struggle -- to break away
from one another. And so now it is vital that these same peoples --
who at one time exhibited the most compelling aspects of a culture
of coexistence -- come together once again around the table in the
search for shared solutions, as one way to make up for the destruction
of the past century.
In this light, the conference hosted from June 5-8 by Tbilisi
State University was so important. Titled "The Caucasus at Imperial
Twilight," the conference gave speakers from Turkey, Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Georgia (and some other countries as well) a chance to
discuss and debate shared problems and possible solutions. Organized
by Professor Hakan Yavuz from the University of Utah and the American
Turkish Coalition, the conference's location--Tbilisi, Georgia--was
especially significant given that city's important role as a center
for mediation in regional disputes. While way back in 1918, the talks
between the Musavatcıs, Mensheviks and the Tashnaks took place
in Tbilisi, this time the attempt to foster dialogue in a bid to
see Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia improve their region is surely
something that only Turkey could have taken on.
The conference had a broad historical scope, ranging from Turkey's
Tanzimat to the republic. It also touched on the various periods
of awakening, constitutional work and political trends, and their
effects on the region between and during these milestones. There was
also a focus on changes throughout the Caucasus during these years,
and particular attention was paid to how various groups culturally
influenced one another in the region. Movements sparked by Caucasus
intellectuals in Turkey were also examined at the conference. Debates
over the tragedies that occurred as empires departed the stage of
history, and what these tragedies meant for the world, were very
fruitful for everyone at the conference. In the end, the conference
provided a platform for various actors who all share the same
region and overlapping problems to meet in the middle with their own
suggestions for solutions. The participation of intellectuals like
Garabet K. Moumdjian and Ara Papian--both open to compromise--helped
make this meeting ideal.
Discussions on the Armenian issue and the arguments surrounding it
all took place in a very democratic atmosphere. There was listening
as well as criticism. The wide range of participants -- including of
course Turks, Georgians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis -- included some
who used the word "genocide" and others who chose not to, but the main
point was that all sides listened to one another respectfully. In the
wake of the conference, however, some Internet sites and publications
like The Armenian Weekly and Asbarez -- which have made a habit
of targeting Turkey for criticism -- have published articles and
commentary accusing Armenians present at the conference of treason.
Such negative press, hindering compromise when it comes, is very
influential. The new generation of Armenians -- many of whom are
multi-lingual -- are often accused of having been "bought off." Their
attendance at conferences where people look to boost dialogue is
always described in extremely negative terms in various publications.
The Armenian Weekly, which has called on Armenian authorities to move
against Turkey's attempts to make peace, was successful in putting
a high level of pressure on Armenians who were planning to attend
the conference by publishing the names of prospective speakers on
the program -- which prevented them from coming to Tbilisi. This
technique to block peace by setting Armenians against one another
was used a century ago, with disastrous effects for all Armenians. In
any case, this time around many prudent Armenians decided to ignore
the propaganda and reacted negatively to attempts to stop people from
expressing themselves at conferences. It now looks like Yerevan will
have to leave behind these despotic stances as well as its critical
approach to Turkey, and instead behave more reasonably.
And so a number of seemingly unbreakable taboos continue to hang over
the heads of Armenians like the sword of Damocles. While a conference
that allowed participants to speak freely about their own ideas --
and where people's viewpoints were listened to with respect and
without belittlement -- ought to have received support and applause,
it instead inspired baseless accusations and negative propaganda
from some circles. Publications that are extremely influential in the
Armenian diaspora present these admirable efforts by Turkey as part
of a larger "game." These publications are doing everything they can
to block the way forward, even putting heavy pressure on Armenians who
want to participate in these programs. In this way, many intellectuals
are prevented from joining in the general process of compromise and
solution-finding. In the meantime, it is clear that more should
be done in the face of these efforts to leave Turkey without any
interlocutors on this issue. Also, there must be renewed efforts to
support and increase the number of these conferences and programs,
which are so critical for the peace-building.
In the end, this unique conference was supported and applauded by all
the participants, not to mention the country that hosted it. There
is already demand for more conferences of this kind in the future,
as it is only with these sorts of reasonable steps that hostilities
will come to an end and cooperation can be built.
*Mehmet Fatih OZTARSU is an analyst at the Strategic Outlook
Institution.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-318689-isolating-turkey-on-the-armenian-issue-by-mehmet-fatih-oztarsu-.html
Today's Zaman, Turkey
June 19 2013
by Mehmet Fatih OZTARSU*
19 June 2013 /
The political, economic and cultural changes experienced by Turkey
and many neighboring countries over more than a century opened the
door to nationalism, ethnicity problems and renewal processes tied
to the building of nation-states.
And while this period brought with it warfare and clashes, it also
made it easier for the various peoples of the Ottoman Empire, Russia
and Iran -- caught up in this stage of struggle -- to break away
from one another. And so now it is vital that these same peoples --
who at one time exhibited the most compelling aspects of a culture
of coexistence -- come together once again around the table in the
search for shared solutions, as one way to make up for the destruction
of the past century.
In this light, the conference hosted from June 5-8 by Tbilisi
State University was so important. Titled "The Caucasus at Imperial
Twilight," the conference gave speakers from Turkey, Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Georgia (and some other countries as well) a chance to
discuss and debate shared problems and possible solutions. Organized
by Professor Hakan Yavuz from the University of Utah and the American
Turkish Coalition, the conference's location--Tbilisi, Georgia--was
especially significant given that city's important role as a center
for mediation in regional disputes. While way back in 1918, the talks
between the Musavatcıs, Mensheviks and the Tashnaks took place
in Tbilisi, this time the attempt to foster dialogue in a bid to
see Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia improve their region is surely
something that only Turkey could have taken on.
The conference had a broad historical scope, ranging from Turkey's
Tanzimat to the republic. It also touched on the various periods
of awakening, constitutional work and political trends, and their
effects on the region between and during these milestones. There was
also a focus on changes throughout the Caucasus during these years,
and particular attention was paid to how various groups culturally
influenced one another in the region. Movements sparked by Caucasus
intellectuals in Turkey were also examined at the conference. Debates
over the tragedies that occurred as empires departed the stage of
history, and what these tragedies meant for the world, were very
fruitful for everyone at the conference. In the end, the conference
provided a platform for various actors who all share the same
region and overlapping problems to meet in the middle with their own
suggestions for solutions. The participation of intellectuals like
Garabet K. Moumdjian and Ara Papian--both open to compromise--helped
make this meeting ideal.
Discussions on the Armenian issue and the arguments surrounding it
all took place in a very democratic atmosphere. There was listening
as well as criticism. The wide range of participants -- including of
course Turks, Georgians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis -- included some
who used the word "genocide" and others who chose not to, but the main
point was that all sides listened to one another respectfully. In the
wake of the conference, however, some Internet sites and publications
like The Armenian Weekly and Asbarez -- which have made a habit
of targeting Turkey for criticism -- have published articles and
commentary accusing Armenians present at the conference of treason.
Such negative press, hindering compromise when it comes, is very
influential. The new generation of Armenians -- many of whom are
multi-lingual -- are often accused of having been "bought off." Their
attendance at conferences where people look to boost dialogue is
always described in extremely negative terms in various publications.
The Armenian Weekly, which has called on Armenian authorities to move
against Turkey's attempts to make peace, was successful in putting
a high level of pressure on Armenians who were planning to attend
the conference by publishing the names of prospective speakers on
the program -- which prevented them from coming to Tbilisi. This
technique to block peace by setting Armenians against one another
was used a century ago, with disastrous effects for all Armenians. In
any case, this time around many prudent Armenians decided to ignore
the propaganda and reacted negatively to attempts to stop people from
expressing themselves at conferences. It now looks like Yerevan will
have to leave behind these despotic stances as well as its critical
approach to Turkey, and instead behave more reasonably.
And so a number of seemingly unbreakable taboos continue to hang over
the heads of Armenians like the sword of Damocles. While a conference
that allowed participants to speak freely about their own ideas --
and where people's viewpoints were listened to with respect and
without belittlement -- ought to have received support and applause,
it instead inspired baseless accusations and negative propaganda
from some circles. Publications that are extremely influential in the
Armenian diaspora present these admirable efforts by Turkey as part
of a larger "game." These publications are doing everything they can
to block the way forward, even putting heavy pressure on Armenians who
want to participate in these programs. In this way, many intellectuals
are prevented from joining in the general process of compromise and
solution-finding. In the meantime, it is clear that more should
be done in the face of these efforts to leave Turkey without any
interlocutors on this issue. Also, there must be renewed efforts to
support and increase the number of these conferences and programs,
which are so critical for the peace-building.
In the end, this unique conference was supported and applauded by all
the participants, not to mention the country that hosted it. There
is already demand for more conferences of this kind in the future,
as it is only with these sorts of reasonable steps that hostilities
will come to an end and cooperation can be built.
*Mehmet Fatih OZTARSU is an analyst at the Strategic Outlook
Institution.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-318689-isolating-turkey-on-the-armenian-issue-by-mehmet-fatih-oztarsu-.html