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NEWS ANALYSIS: TURKEY SEEKS TO PACIFY ARMENIANS AS CENTENNIAL LOOMS
Xinhua General News Service, China
April 26, 2014 Saturday 10:32 AM EST
ANKARA April 26
Turkish government's condolences to the grandchildren of Armenians
who lost their lives during World War I aimed to thwart the Armenian
Genocide allegations from getting larger audience in 2015, a centennial
of the 1915 events.
This is just a rehearsal for the real test for Turkey next year,
Turkish analyst Bulent Kenes said of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan's statement on Wednesday, in which he said " we wish
that the Armenians who lost their lives in the context of the early
twentieth century rest in peace, and we convey our condolences to
their grandchildren."
"The prime minister's statement may help to alleviate the preliminary
shockwaves of this impending event, but it can hardly be a complete
solution to this indispensable event, which will be here in 365 days,"
Kenes added.
Erdogan's surprising statement came on Wednesday, ahead of April 24
when Armenians commemorate the events they describe as genocide under
Ottoman rule. The statement was published by the Prime Minister's
Office in nine languages, an apparent signal that it was aimed for
a larger audience globally.
"It is our hope and belief that the peoples of an ancient and unique
geography, who share similar customs and manners will be able to talk
to each other about the past with maturity and to remember together
their losses in a decent manner," Erdogan underlined.
The killings in 1915 were regarded by many historians as the
first genocide of the 20th century. Though Turkey rejects the
term "genocide," Erdogan called the events "our shared pain"
and acknowledged that the deportation of Armenians had "inhumane
consequences."
Prime Minister's bold move may not be enough to solve centennial
troubles for Turkey next year however, according to Kerem Altan,
a columnist who writes for the online news portal T24.
"We shouldn't forget that not only a deportation but the disgraceful
memory of a genocide requires a long-delayed apology," he said.
"I want to see acts, not words and gestures. The government developed
a habit of 'saving the day' and covering up basic problems through
making such gestures," Altan underlined.
Nevertheless the statement was hailed by officials from the United
States and the European Union, including U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule, as a positive
step from Turkey.
Turkey's move was not reciprocated from Armenian government however
as Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who issued a statement on
the occasion of the anniversary of the 1915 incidents, did not even
mention Turkish Prime Minister's message.
Sargsyan accused Turkey of being in denial about the "genocide. "
FOREIGN PRESSURE BACKFIRES
Other analysts explained that Turkey's move, although a step in the
right direction, did not go far enough because of foreign meddling
into the issue.
The prime minister's declaration was important, said Beril Dedeoglu,
professor of international relations at Galatasaray University.
"It is a way of saying, 'We know perfectly well what happened in
1915 and what kind of decisions were taken by our predecessors,
but we reject any foreign pressure on the matter," she said.
"In fact, Turkey could act more quickly if there were no foreign
pressure," Dedeoglu noted, adding that the majority of the Turkish
people continue to exhibit old reflexes when speaking about the
Armenian issue.
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee that passed a resolution
on April 11 commemorating the "Armenian Genocide" was certainly a
kind of pressure Dedeoglu was referring in her comments.
It came as a relief for Turkish government that the U.S. President
Barack Obama refrained from using the word "genocide" to describe
the events of 1915 in his annual statement on April 24. OPPOSITION
ARE SUSPICIOUS
The nationalists are up in arms against Erdogan's statement with the
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli refusing to
even discuss the issue. He called the statement as tormenting the
Turkish nation.
The main opposition Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) spokesperson
Haluk Koc said Erdogan's statement could be seen as an attempt to
earn some good will credit internationally because Erdogan has been
discredited in the last two years.
"If you make this issue as the subject of politics and disconnect it
from historical realities, no doubt that this will be perceived as
an attempt to gain the lost reputation," he explained.
That is how the announcement of Turkish Prime Minister was seen from
Armenian lobby in the United States.
"Increasingly isolated internationally, Ankara is repacking its
genocide denials," the director of the U.S.-based Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA), Aram Hamparian, said in a statement.
Armenians living in Turkey took a different approach and hailed
Erdogan's statement in contrast to their ethnic relatives living
abroad.
Archbishop Aram Atesyan, deputy patriarch of the Armenian Patriarchate,
based in Istanbul, said Erdogan's statement was " exciting and
historic."
"For the first time, we are hearing such a statement from a top
Turkish official. This statement will make Turkish Armenians and
Armenians around the world happy. This is a start of beautiful days
and the start of a friendship bridge," Atesyan declared.
"Despite differing interpretations on what the statement actually
means both in Turkey and abroad, most agree that Turkey has done
something unique and generally a positive move to tackle one of the
most painful and delicate issues for Turks and Armenians together.
"After all these years of complete denial, these words are important
from a humanitarian point of view and a clear break with the classic
official Turkish lines when it comes to the 1915 tragedy," Orhan
Kemal Cengiz, Ankara-based Turkish expert on non- Muslim minorities
commented.
"These words may create a much more lasting effect if they are
accompanied by some policy changes," he added. Some of the changes
debated in Turkish capital involves granting citizenship to grand
children of Armenians who emigrated from Turkish lands.
Xinhua General News Service, China
April 26, 2014 Saturday 10:32 AM EST
ANKARA April 26
Turkish government's condolences to the grandchildren of Armenians
who lost their lives during World War I aimed to thwart the Armenian
Genocide allegations from getting larger audience in 2015, a centennial
of the 1915 events.
This is just a rehearsal for the real test for Turkey next year,
Turkish analyst Bulent Kenes said of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan's statement on Wednesday, in which he said " we wish
that the Armenians who lost their lives in the context of the early
twentieth century rest in peace, and we convey our condolences to
their grandchildren."
"The prime minister's statement may help to alleviate the preliminary
shockwaves of this impending event, but it can hardly be a complete
solution to this indispensable event, which will be here in 365 days,"
Kenes added.
Erdogan's surprising statement came on Wednesday, ahead of April 24
when Armenians commemorate the events they describe as genocide under
Ottoman rule. The statement was published by the Prime Minister's
Office in nine languages, an apparent signal that it was aimed for
a larger audience globally.
"It is our hope and belief that the peoples of an ancient and unique
geography, who share similar customs and manners will be able to talk
to each other about the past with maturity and to remember together
their losses in a decent manner," Erdogan underlined.
The killings in 1915 were regarded by many historians as the
first genocide of the 20th century. Though Turkey rejects the
term "genocide," Erdogan called the events "our shared pain"
and acknowledged that the deportation of Armenians had "inhumane
consequences."
Prime Minister's bold move may not be enough to solve centennial
troubles for Turkey next year however, according to Kerem Altan,
a columnist who writes for the online news portal T24.
"We shouldn't forget that not only a deportation but the disgraceful
memory of a genocide requires a long-delayed apology," he said.
"I want to see acts, not words and gestures. The government developed
a habit of 'saving the day' and covering up basic problems through
making such gestures," Altan underlined.
Nevertheless the statement was hailed by officials from the United
States and the European Union, including U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule, as a positive
step from Turkey.
Turkey's move was not reciprocated from Armenian government however
as Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who issued a statement on
the occasion of the anniversary of the 1915 incidents, did not even
mention Turkish Prime Minister's message.
Sargsyan accused Turkey of being in denial about the "genocide. "
FOREIGN PRESSURE BACKFIRES
Other analysts explained that Turkey's move, although a step in the
right direction, did not go far enough because of foreign meddling
into the issue.
The prime minister's declaration was important, said Beril Dedeoglu,
professor of international relations at Galatasaray University.
"It is a way of saying, 'We know perfectly well what happened in
1915 and what kind of decisions were taken by our predecessors,
but we reject any foreign pressure on the matter," she said.
"In fact, Turkey could act more quickly if there were no foreign
pressure," Dedeoglu noted, adding that the majority of the Turkish
people continue to exhibit old reflexes when speaking about the
Armenian issue.
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee that passed a resolution
on April 11 commemorating the "Armenian Genocide" was certainly a
kind of pressure Dedeoglu was referring in her comments.
It came as a relief for Turkish government that the U.S. President
Barack Obama refrained from using the word "genocide" to describe
the events of 1915 in his annual statement on April 24. OPPOSITION
ARE SUSPICIOUS
The nationalists are up in arms against Erdogan's statement with the
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli refusing to
even discuss the issue. He called the statement as tormenting the
Turkish nation.
The main opposition Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) spokesperson
Haluk Koc said Erdogan's statement could be seen as an attempt to
earn some good will credit internationally because Erdogan has been
discredited in the last two years.
"If you make this issue as the subject of politics and disconnect it
from historical realities, no doubt that this will be perceived as
an attempt to gain the lost reputation," he explained.
That is how the announcement of Turkish Prime Minister was seen from
Armenian lobby in the United States.
"Increasingly isolated internationally, Ankara is repacking its
genocide denials," the director of the U.S.-based Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA), Aram Hamparian, said in a statement.
Armenians living in Turkey took a different approach and hailed
Erdogan's statement in contrast to their ethnic relatives living
abroad.
Archbishop Aram Atesyan, deputy patriarch of the Armenian Patriarchate,
based in Istanbul, said Erdogan's statement was " exciting and
historic."
"For the first time, we are hearing such a statement from a top
Turkish official. This statement will make Turkish Armenians and
Armenians around the world happy. This is a start of beautiful days
and the start of a friendship bridge," Atesyan declared.
"Despite differing interpretations on what the statement actually
means both in Turkey and abroad, most agree that Turkey has done
something unique and generally a positive move to tackle one of the
most painful and delicate issues for Turks and Armenians together.
"After all these years of complete denial, these words are important
from a humanitarian point of view and a clear break with the classic
official Turkish lines when it comes to the 1915 tragedy," Orhan
Kemal Cengiz, Ankara-based Turkish expert on non- Muslim minorities
commented.
"These words may create a much more lasting effect if they are
accompanied by some policy changes," he added. Some of the changes
debated in Turkish capital involves granting citizenship to grand
children of Armenians who emigrated from Turkish lands.