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INVITE AZNAVOUR TO CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY IN TURKEY
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 7 2013
Charles Aznavour is known to have said, "My name is bigger than
Armenia." Who can contest that? He is currently Armenia's ambassador
to Switzerland as well as that country's permanent representative
at UNESCO.
He was in the Turkish news recently for claiming that the Turkish
prime minister had said he hated Armenians and Greeks.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry immediately reacted, with a statement
on March 30 saying Turkey strongly denies that baseless claim.
It is unfortunate that while the Turkish government has shown utmost
sensitivity to Aznavour's just one unfavorable sentence, it has
remained completely indifferent to one of the world's most famous
singers' several positive statements about the Armenian issue. What
he basically said was that Armenians should not get stuck on the word
"genocide," and that immediately created displeasure among Armenian
circles.
On a television program broadcasted in September 2011, Aznavour openly
said the word "genocide" started to disturb him. "If Turks have the
honesty to say that the thing that bothers them is the word genocide,
we can find another word in exchange for opening the borders and for
the Turkish government to start a dialogue with us."
A month later he gave an interview to the magazine Nouvelles d'Armenie
where he reiterated his views, adding that Armenia will never be
successful (in presumably making the whole world recognize the claim
of genocide) and that current policies are not making progress for
Armenia. "Armenia suffers.
Every day it is becoming emptier. Whom would that benefit? Three mafia
leaders? Thousands of poor people will get spread around the world.
And we just focus on the word genocide, which is objected to by
Turkey? Then I am addressing the question to the Turks; if this is
not genocide, how do you call an annihilation of a nation? What did
you call this all that time?"
After saying that if Turks could accept the term "massacres," even that
should be considered progress, Aznavour continued with his criticism
of Armenia. "Armenia is under severe threat, and everybody is stuck on
the word genocide. I can't see how this is taking the country further."
Aznavour said in 2011 that he was dreaming of going to Turkey. He made
it known to Ankara that he wanted to come upon official invitation
rather than for an informal occasion. While his statements came to the
attention of the government, it has done nothing about it. Aznavour
is known to have been disappointed about the fact that his overture
has met deaf ears in Ankara.
In the interview that led to Ankara's official reaction, he did
reiterate his views on the issue, which fortunately was not left
unnoticed. "We find it positive that world-renowned intellectual
Charles Aznavour develops ideas and brings about proposals for the
normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations," said the statement of
the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Turkey needs wise men from both sides who are not opinionated and
are open to creative ideas and solutions.
Aznavour, who prefers to say he had a Turkish mother rather than a
Turkish-Armenian, will celebrate his 89th year on May 22. Why not
extend him an invitation to celebrate his birthday in Turkey? When it
comes to his statement about the prime minister's views on Armenians
and Greeks, wouldn't that be the best occasion to tell him in person
that it's not the case and give him the chance to correct his words
about Turkey's prime minister?
May/07/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/invite-aznavour-to-celebrate-his-birthday-in-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=46345&NewsCatID=412
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 7 2013
Charles Aznavour is known to have said, "My name is bigger than
Armenia." Who can contest that? He is currently Armenia's ambassador
to Switzerland as well as that country's permanent representative
at UNESCO.
He was in the Turkish news recently for claiming that the Turkish
prime minister had said he hated Armenians and Greeks.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry immediately reacted, with a statement
on March 30 saying Turkey strongly denies that baseless claim.
It is unfortunate that while the Turkish government has shown utmost
sensitivity to Aznavour's just one unfavorable sentence, it has
remained completely indifferent to one of the world's most famous
singers' several positive statements about the Armenian issue. What
he basically said was that Armenians should not get stuck on the word
"genocide," and that immediately created displeasure among Armenian
circles.
On a television program broadcasted in September 2011, Aznavour openly
said the word "genocide" started to disturb him. "If Turks have the
honesty to say that the thing that bothers them is the word genocide,
we can find another word in exchange for opening the borders and for
the Turkish government to start a dialogue with us."
A month later he gave an interview to the magazine Nouvelles d'Armenie
where he reiterated his views, adding that Armenia will never be
successful (in presumably making the whole world recognize the claim
of genocide) and that current policies are not making progress for
Armenia. "Armenia suffers.
Every day it is becoming emptier. Whom would that benefit? Three mafia
leaders? Thousands of poor people will get spread around the world.
And we just focus on the word genocide, which is objected to by
Turkey? Then I am addressing the question to the Turks; if this is
not genocide, how do you call an annihilation of a nation? What did
you call this all that time?"
After saying that if Turks could accept the term "massacres," even that
should be considered progress, Aznavour continued with his criticism
of Armenia. "Armenia is under severe threat, and everybody is stuck on
the word genocide. I can't see how this is taking the country further."
Aznavour said in 2011 that he was dreaming of going to Turkey. He made
it known to Ankara that he wanted to come upon official invitation
rather than for an informal occasion. While his statements came to the
attention of the government, it has done nothing about it. Aznavour
is known to have been disappointed about the fact that his overture
has met deaf ears in Ankara.
In the interview that led to Ankara's official reaction, he did
reiterate his views on the issue, which fortunately was not left
unnoticed. "We find it positive that world-renowned intellectual
Charles Aznavour develops ideas and brings about proposals for the
normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations," said the statement of
the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Turkey needs wise men from both sides who are not opinionated and
are open to creative ideas and solutions.
Aznavour, who prefers to say he had a Turkish mother rather than a
Turkish-Armenian, will celebrate his 89th year on May 22. Why not
extend him an invitation to celebrate his birthday in Turkey? When it
comes to his statement about the prime minister's views on Armenians
and Greeks, wouldn't that be the best occasion to tell him in person
that it's not the case and give him the chance to correct his words
about Turkey's prime minister?
May/07/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/invite-aznavour-to-celebrate-his-birthday-in-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=46345&NewsCatID=412