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Erdogan wants to steal the votes of nationalists by insulting Armenians
August 9 2014
On August 10, the first presidential elections will be held in Turkey.
Earlier, the president in Turkey was elected by the National Assembly.
Now, it will be elected directly by people. The main and possible
winning incumbent is the prime minister and the leader of `Justice and
Development' political party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his main
rival, an opposition united candidate, former employee of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Ekmeleddin Ä°hsanoglu, who was
nominated by the two strongest opposition forces of Turkey: the
Kemalist `Republican People's' party and `Nationalist movement'
political party. Just four or five days prior to the elections,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become a serious
target for social criticism, as he had made such a racist expression
during the love interview to the Turkish NTV television. `I was called
a Georgian. Sorry, of course, but it had happened worse than that,
they had called me an Armenia. But I am a Turk.' At the request of
`Aravot', commenting on the incident, the turkologist Artak Shakaryan,
first stated that the phrase of `an Armenian' for many years and
decades had been considered an insult in Turkey. `In Turkey,' the
phrases of `an Armenian bitch' and `an Armenian descendent' are the
lowest offenses. And this is also the way people in political circles
offend each other, when they want to decry someone. Abdullah Gül was
also called an Armenian, and he was trying to get rid of this label,
the leader of `Republican People's' party, Kemal Kılıçdaroglu was also
called an Armenia, also Abdullah Ã-calan¦ Erdogan clearly acknowledges
that the nationalist forces now as a united candidate of opposition
have opposed a person against him who is not very much accepted by the
same nationalists. Former Secretary General of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation, Ekmeleddin Ä°hsanoglu, though nominated by the two
nationalist forces, anyway is not so much accepted by the
nationalists, therefore, Erdogan is trying to play on the votes of the
nationalists, to take on the votes, thereby, it is necessary to
introduce some nationalistic notes. Therefore, he made this phrase, `I
was called a Georgia, sorry, even worse, an Armenia,' and it was
rather a message addressed to nationalists to be seen a little more
nationalistic, because he clearly understands that the nationalistic
votes in Turkey are always more profitable.' In this regard, Artak
Shakaryan noted, `Once again I want to emphasize that no matter some
circles say that the Turks are changed, that Turkey is no longer the
one, taking Erdogan's message on April 23 that people were saying that
Erdogan has been changed, the policy against Armenians has been
softened, nevertheless, we should note that the Turkish policy
currently is formulated as follows, what is bad for Armenians is good
for Turks. And as long as this mindset also exists among ordinary
people, political sentiments would not be changed.' To our doubts
about whether this Armenophobic sentiment also exists among ordinary
people, the turkologist replied, `By saying ordinary people, let's
recall that the ordinary people are not only the population of
Istanbul, a greater part of population lives outside of Istanbul, and
for most of them, the Armenian is the image of a `Giaour', a
`traitor', which is consistently seated in their conscience for
decades, who should be hated, because he is trying to steal something
from them, to return the lands.' We also asked the turkologist whether
he sees the role of Turkey in last days' tension in
Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. A. Shakaryan replied, `Theoretically,
Turkey's head is busy now with the situation in northern Iraq, with
own Turkmen problems, not to mention the refugees coming from Syria,
not to mention this strained election situation, not to mention the
anxiety with Kurds¦ I do not think whether Turkey has made any
proactive step with regard to the last days' incidents, but the
Turkey's Foreign Ministry's statement that it sends condolences for
the victims of the Azerbaijani side, not saying a word about the
victims of the Armenian side, once again clearly indicate that Turkey
definitely cannot and is not taking a neutral position in this
conflict, it is excessively biased for Azerbaijan, and no way one can
ever trust any neutral-assuming role to Turkey, and give a hope of
mediation in this matter. Especially when there is a rapid reaction by
Azerbaijan society that they expect Turkey's great support in possible
collision, both technically and human resources, in terms of
volunteers, like it was in the nineties full-scale war.' In this
regard, we also asked the opinion of the turkologist about Turkey's
`interference' on regular base pertaining to the talks about
deployment of peacekeeping troops. `If there are ever talks about
deployment of peacekeepers in our region, Turkey, in every way, being
a member of the Minsk Group, would try doing everything to have its
forces here. And if the Russians stationed here, Azerbaijanis would
say that the Russians are pro-Armenians, so we need pro-Azerbaijan
Turkey be presented as a counterbalance. In this case, Artsakh and
Armenia should fight until the last drop of blood to prevent it. If
Turkish troops enter into the region, it would be extremely difficult
to take them out from there. The border closure until now, acting in
the Karabakh war by Azerbaijani side and other facts prove that Turkey
does not have a neutral position, and we should fight at all costs to
prevent its access.'
Melania BARSEGHYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/08/09/166410/
From: Baghdasarian
August 9 2014
On August 10, the first presidential elections will be held in Turkey.
Earlier, the president in Turkey was elected by the National Assembly.
Now, it will be elected directly by people. The main and possible
winning incumbent is the prime minister and the leader of `Justice and
Development' political party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his main
rival, an opposition united candidate, former employee of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Ekmeleddin Ä°hsanoglu, who was
nominated by the two strongest opposition forces of Turkey: the
Kemalist `Republican People's' party and `Nationalist movement'
political party. Just four or five days prior to the elections,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become a serious
target for social criticism, as he had made such a racist expression
during the love interview to the Turkish NTV television. `I was called
a Georgian. Sorry, of course, but it had happened worse than that,
they had called me an Armenia. But I am a Turk.' At the request of
`Aravot', commenting on the incident, the turkologist Artak Shakaryan,
first stated that the phrase of `an Armenian' for many years and
decades had been considered an insult in Turkey. `In Turkey,' the
phrases of `an Armenian bitch' and `an Armenian descendent' are the
lowest offenses. And this is also the way people in political circles
offend each other, when they want to decry someone. Abdullah Gül was
also called an Armenian, and he was trying to get rid of this label,
the leader of `Republican People's' party, Kemal Kılıçdaroglu was also
called an Armenia, also Abdullah Ã-calan¦ Erdogan clearly acknowledges
that the nationalist forces now as a united candidate of opposition
have opposed a person against him who is not very much accepted by the
same nationalists. Former Secretary General of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation, Ekmeleddin Ä°hsanoglu, though nominated by the two
nationalist forces, anyway is not so much accepted by the
nationalists, therefore, Erdogan is trying to play on the votes of the
nationalists, to take on the votes, thereby, it is necessary to
introduce some nationalistic notes. Therefore, he made this phrase, `I
was called a Georgia, sorry, even worse, an Armenia,' and it was
rather a message addressed to nationalists to be seen a little more
nationalistic, because he clearly understands that the nationalistic
votes in Turkey are always more profitable.' In this regard, Artak
Shakaryan noted, `Once again I want to emphasize that no matter some
circles say that the Turks are changed, that Turkey is no longer the
one, taking Erdogan's message on April 23 that people were saying that
Erdogan has been changed, the policy against Armenians has been
softened, nevertheless, we should note that the Turkish policy
currently is formulated as follows, what is bad for Armenians is good
for Turks. And as long as this mindset also exists among ordinary
people, political sentiments would not be changed.' To our doubts
about whether this Armenophobic sentiment also exists among ordinary
people, the turkologist replied, `By saying ordinary people, let's
recall that the ordinary people are not only the population of
Istanbul, a greater part of population lives outside of Istanbul, and
for most of them, the Armenian is the image of a `Giaour', a
`traitor', which is consistently seated in their conscience for
decades, who should be hated, because he is trying to steal something
from them, to return the lands.' We also asked the turkologist whether
he sees the role of Turkey in last days' tension in
Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. A. Shakaryan replied, `Theoretically,
Turkey's head is busy now with the situation in northern Iraq, with
own Turkmen problems, not to mention the refugees coming from Syria,
not to mention this strained election situation, not to mention the
anxiety with Kurds¦ I do not think whether Turkey has made any
proactive step with regard to the last days' incidents, but the
Turkey's Foreign Ministry's statement that it sends condolences for
the victims of the Azerbaijani side, not saying a word about the
victims of the Armenian side, once again clearly indicate that Turkey
definitely cannot and is not taking a neutral position in this
conflict, it is excessively biased for Azerbaijan, and no way one can
ever trust any neutral-assuming role to Turkey, and give a hope of
mediation in this matter. Especially when there is a rapid reaction by
Azerbaijan society that they expect Turkey's great support in possible
collision, both technically and human resources, in terms of
volunteers, like it was in the nineties full-scale war.' In this
regard, we also asked the opinion of the turkologist about Turkey's
`interference' on regular base pertaining to the talks about
deployment of peacekeeping troops. `If there are ever talks about
deployment of peacekeepers in our region, Turkey, in every way, being
a member of the Minsk Group, would try doing everything to have its
forces here. And if the Russians stationed here, Azerbaijanis would
say that the Russians are pro-Armenians, so we need pro-Azerbaijan
Turkey be presented as a counterbalance. In this case, Artsakh and
Armenia should fight until the last drop of blood to prevent it. If
Turkish troops enter into the region, it would be extremely difficult
to take them out from there. The border closure until now, acting in
the Karabakh war by Azerbaijani side and other facts prove that Turkey
does not have a neutral position, and we should fight at all costs to
prevent its access.'
Melania BARSEGHYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/08/09/166410/
From: Baghdasarian