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Today's Zaman, Turkey
July 6 2014
Armenians worry over Erdoðan's probable presidency
Armenians are feeling concerned over Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdoðan's presidential candidacy and believe that placing centralized
power in his hands is a potential threat to the safety and security of
Armenians, given his divisive manner of ruling.
Turkey is slated to elect a president by popular vote for the first
time on Aug. 10, and parties have been announcing their candidates for
the upcoming race. After all other candidates were announced, Erdoðan
finally declared that he would be the presidential candidate for the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
He is expected to win, and if he does, one result is that he could
maintain the power of his 11-year rule in Turkey. It's believed he
would continue his authoritarian style, based on his Islamic agenda
and divisive rhetoric, although during a televised speech from Ankara
on Tuesday he said he would be an "all-embracing president of Turkey."
Political analyst and Regional Studies Center founder Richard
Giragosian told Sunday's Zaman from Yerevan that Erdoðan is a dynamic
and popular political figure in Turkey, but that he is also
polarizing.
"He is often using extremely aggressive and bellicose language when
referring to the Armenians or Armenian issue," Giragosian said.
Erdoðan, constantly using abusive and insulting language towards
minorities and "the other," is well-known for his provocative style
and the pejorative remarks he has made against Armenians, Jews and the
Rum (ethnic Anatolian and Ýstanbul Greeks).
Giragosian thinks that although the prime minister's rhetoric and what
he calls "aggressive" remarks are not limited to only Armenians --
such words have been directed at Israelis and the West on different
platforms -- "He is perceived as a pronounced ally of Azerbaijan and a
foe of the Armenians, even despite his April 24 statement."
This was an official statement in which he offered his condolences to
Armenians for the events of 1915, which the Armenians view as a
genocide of their people. Erdoðan referred to the period as having
wrought "inhumane consequences."
Turkey enjoys good political and economic relations with Azerbaijan,
its strategic partner. They share common ethnic, cultural and
linguistic ties. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in conflict for more
than two decades now, as the two neighboring countries have not been
able to reach an agreement over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . The
conflict erupted in the early 1990s over a mountainous enclave within
Azerbaijan that has a majority Armenian population, and
Armenian-backed forces seized it and seven surrounding Azerbaijani
districts. Turkey closed its borders with Armenia in 1993 in a show of
solidarity with Azerbaijan, which lost 14 percent of its territory
during the conflict.
The issue of Armenia's withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven
adjacent territories is of importance to Ankara, which has frequently
signaled that the opening of the border with Armenia would be possible
via the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Tense relations between Turkey and Armenia are not just limited to
closed borders, though. They rest on a century-long conflict due to
the 1915 events, which are highly disputed for both nations. Turks
accept that many Armenians died in 1915, but they deny that this
number is as high as 1.5 million and instead have a death toll of
about 500,000. Turks say that the events do not constitute an act of
genocide, a term that is used not only by Armenians world-wide but
also Western politicians, officials, and historians.
As Giragosian mentioned, on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the
1915 events, Prime Minister Erdoðan for the first time in Turkey's
history offered condolences to the families of the Armenians who went
through the tragic events of those years. Using conciliatory language,
Erdoðan called the 1915 event "inhumane," a statement that was not
accepted by all Armenians unilaterally. Though gently welcomed by
Turkish Armenians, Erdoðan's words were harshly criticized by the
Armenian government, with President Serzh Sargsyan accusing Turkey of
"utter denial" of what Armenia sees as genocide and with the Armenian
diaspora calling Erdoðan's condolences "cold-hearted and cynical."
However Alin Ozinian, an expert on Turkish-Armenian relations, said in
an interview with Sunday's Zaman that Erdoðan's words to the
Armenians' whose ancestors were killed during World War I is not
enough, as it does "not reflect that Turkey [has] finally come to
[its] senses."
"The issue of genocide is a big wound for the Armenians," Ozinian
said, adding that Turkey's "denial politics" worries them because it
will not break the deadlock.
Delivering Armenians' concerns that Erdoðan will hold too much
personal and political power without due deference to the rule of law
or democratic institutions in Turkey, Giragosian says that the rise of
Prime Minister Erdoðan and the decline of current President Abdullah
Gül is causing people in Armenia to worry about the future of Turkey.
President Gül clearly said on Monday that he will not run for a second term.
"After all, it was President Gül who made history as the first Turkish
head of state to visit Armenia," Giragosian said, adding that
Armenians worry the future of Armenian-Turkish normalization might
suffer because of domestic Turkish politics.
"With hopes for normalization having rested on President Gül's
shoulders, his apparent political decline has meant that Armenia has
lost a 'partner for peace' and a worthy and more sincere interlocutor
for building a new relationship."
The normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties started with President Gül
in September of 2008, when he paid the first-ever visit by a Turkish
president to Armenia to attend an Armenia vs. Turkey soccer match in
Yerevan, sparking speculations that "soccer diplomacy" might initiate
reconciliation between the two hostile nations.
However, Ozinian disagrees with the assertion that all Armenians are
annoyed with Erdoðan's run for presidency. She thinks that those who
are pleased with the prime minister's expected move to president do
not support Erdoðan because of the condolences he extended back in
April.
"Erdoðan's government has yet to be successful in shedding light on
the cases of Hrant Dink, Sevag Balýkçý [and the] Samatya crimes,"
Özinian said. She added that those Armenians who are positive about
Erdoðan's expected transition to president in Turkey feel this way
because there is no better option amongst the opposition parties,
which she described as the "Kemalist" Republican People's Party (CHP)
and the "fearsome" Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-352194-armenians-worry-over-erdogans-probable-presidency.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
July 6 2014
Armenians worry over Erdoðan's probable presidency
Armenians are feeling concerned over Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdoðan's presidential candidacy and believe that placing centralized
power in his hands is a potential threat to the safety and security of
Armenians, given his divisive manner of ruling.
Turkey is slated to elect a president by popular vote for the first
time on Aug. 10, and parties have been announcing their candidates for
the upcoming race. After all other candidates were announced, Erdoðan
finally declared that he would be the presidential candidate for the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
He is expected to win, and if he does, one result is that he could
maintain the power of his 11-year rule in Turkey. It's believed he
would continue his authoritarian style, based on his Islamic agenda
and divisive rhetoric, although during a televised speech from Ankara
on Tuesday he said he would be an "all-embracing president of Turkey."
Political analyst and Regional Studies Center founder Richard
Giragosian told Sunday's Zaman from Yerevan that Erdoðan is a dynamic
and popular political figure in Turkey, but that he is also
polarizing.
"He is often using extremely aggressive and bellicose language when
referring to the Armenians or Armenian issue," Giragosian said.
Erdoðan, constantly using abusive and insulting language towards
minorities and "the other," is well-known for his provocative style
and the pejorative remarks he has made against Armenians, Jews and the
Rum (ethnic Anatolian and Ýstanbul Greeks).
Giragosian thinks that although the prime minister's rhetoric and what
he calls "aggressive" remarks are not limited to only Armenians --
such words have been directed at Israelis and the West on different
platforms -- "He is perceived as a pronounced ally of Azerbaijan and a
foe of the Armenians, even despite his April 24 statement."
This was an official statement in which he offered his condolences to
Armenians for the events of 1915, which the Armenians view as a
genocide of their people. Erdoðan referred to the period as having
wrought "inhumane consequences."
Turkey enjoys good political and economic relations with Azerbaijan,
its strategic partner. They share common ethnic, cultural and
linguistic ties. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in conflict for more
than two decades now, as the two neighboring countries have not been
able to reach an agreement over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . The
conflict erupted in the early 1990s over a mountainous enclave within
Azerbaijan that has a majority Armenian population, and
Armenian-backed forces seized it and seven surrounding Azerbaijani
districts. Turkey closed its borders with Armenia in 1993 in a show of
solidarity with Azerbaijan, which lost 14 percent of its territory
during the conflict.
The issue of Armenia's withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven
adjacent territories is of importance to Ankara, which has frequently
signaled that the opening of the border with Armenia would be possible
via the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Tense relations between Turkey and Armenia are not just limited to
closed borders, though. They rest on a century-long conflict due to
the 1915 events, which are highly disputed for both nations. Turks
accept that many Armenians died in 1915, but they deny that this
number is as high as 1.5 million and instead have a death toll of
about 500,000. Turks say that the events do not constitute an act of
genocide, a term that is used not only by Armenians world-wide but
also Western politicians, officials, and historians.
As Giragosian mentioned, on the eve of the 99th anniversary of the
1915 events, Prime Minister Erdoðan for the first time in Turkey's
history offered condolences to the families of the Armenians who went
through the tragic events of those years. Using conciliatory language,
Erdoðan called the 1915 event "inhumane," a statement that was not
accepted by all Armenians unilaterally. Though gently welcomed by
Turkish Armenians, Erdoðan's words were harshly criticized by the
Armenian government, with President Serzh Sargsyan accusing Turkey of
"utter denial" of what Armenia sees as genocide and with the Armenian
diaspora calling Erdoðan's condolences "cold-hearted and cynical."
However Alin Ozinian, an expert on Turkish-Armenian relations, said in
an interview with Sunday's Zaman that Erdoðan's words to the
Armenians' whose ancestors were killed during World War I is not
enough, as it does "not reflect that Turkey [has] finally come to
[its] senses."
"The issue of genocide is a big wound for the Armenians," Ozinian
said, adding that Turkey's "denial politics" worries them because it
will not break the deadlock.
Delivering Armenians' concerns that Erdoðan will hold too much
personal and political power without due deference to the rule of law
or democratic institutions in Turkey, Giragosian says that the rise of
Prime Minister Erdoðan and the decline of current President Abdullah
Gül is causing people in Armenia to worry about the future of Turkey.
President Gül clearly said on Monday that he will not run for a second term.
"After all, it was President Gül who made history as the first Turkish
head of state to visit Armenia," Giragosian said, adding that
Armenians worry the future of Armenian-Turkish normalization might
suffer because of domestic Turkish politics.
"With hopes for normalization having rested on President Gül's
shoulders, his apparent political decline has meant that Armenia has
lost a 'partner for peace' and a worthy and more sincere interlocutor
for building a new relationship."
The normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties started with President Gül
in September of 2008, when he paid the first-ever visit by a Turkish
president to Armenia to attend an Armenia vs. Turkey soccer match in
Yerevan, sparking speculations that "soccer diplomacy" might initiate
reconciliation between the two hostile nations.
However, Ozinian disagrees with the assertion that all Armenians are
annoyed with Erdoðan's run for presidency. She thinks that those who
are pleased with the prime minister's expected move to president do
not support Erdoðan because of the condolences he extended back in
April.
"Erdoðan's government has yet to be successful in shedding light on
the cases of Hrant Dink, Sevag Balýkçý [and the] Samatya crimes,"
Özinian said. She added that those Armenians who are positive about
Erdoðan's expected transition to president in Turkey feel this way
because there is no better option amongst the opposition parties,
which she described as the "Kemalist" Republican People's Party (CHP)
and the "fearsome" Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-352194-armenians-worry-over-erdogans-probable-presidency.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress