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ERDOGAN'S CONDOLENCES
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 1 2014
MUSTAFA AYDIN
The prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdošan, released a
surprising statement on April 23 about the deaths surrounding the
mass deportation of Armenians during World War I. The responses so
far range from warm welcomes to outright rejections of the message. It
clearly achieved its intended purpose: It received attention.
Discussion has focused on whether it constitutes a serious shift in
Turkish policy or an attempt at hedging towards the expected reactions
in 2015.
There could be no doubt about the short term intention of the
government, as the carefully constructed message was translated into
nine languages and circulated into international press on the eve of
yet another "genocide resolution" at the U.S. Congress. It has been a
routine for Turkish diplomacy for years to stop draft resolutions at
the U.S. Congress and prevent the U.S. president from using the G-word
in his remembrance of the 1915 events. The same has happened exactly
this year: A group of Congressmen presented a draft resolution to the
Senate on April 3. The administration did not like it and the President
used his now routine wording, "Meds Yeghern," meaning great calamity,
in referring to what happened to Anatolian Armenians in the last
years of the Ottoman Empire. Both Armenians and Turks were not happy,
but content, about his choice of words. "Nothing new," one might say.
Moreover, the long-term expectations from and the consequences of the
statement are still vague. Thus one might easily question the sincerity
of the change in Erdošan's discourse, especially when the memory of
the failure of the latest attempt at Turkish-Armenian reconciliation
and Erdošan's role in it are still fresh.
Yet, I believe Prime Minister Erdošan's latest statement should
be taken more seriously. Especially when taken into consideration
together with an analysis that includes where Turkey is coming from and
how much has changed both in Turkish society and its official policy
line. Besides the public remembrance of the "shared pains" in Turkey
in recent years, as well as other initiatives to show more compassion
toward Armenian suffering, the Turkish government's previous attempts
at secret, but direct talks with Armenian diplomats, the restoration
of several ancient Armenian churches in Anatolia and finally, football
diplomacy, leading to the preparation of two protocols to normalize
the relationship between Armenia and Turkey are important indications.
What is more, whatever his intentions were, it should be acknowledged
that Prime Minister Erdošan became the first Turkish leader to offer
"condolences to the grandchildren of the Armenians who lost their
lives a century ago." It is an important step, especially when read
together with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutošlu's description of
the 1915 events as a "mistake" during his visit to Armenia. Thus,
recognizing the value of the statement, the U.S. has welcomed it and
encouraged further efforts from the Turkish side.
Obviously, the latest gesture needs to be supported by concrete
policies, such as building diplomatic ties and opening the borders.
Otherwise it could remain an empty shell and would cause further
disappointment among Armenians. Yet, whether Erdošan, and thus Turkey,
has an ulterior motive in expressing condolences is immaterial. The
statement can easily be perceived as a tactical move to forestall
the 2015 reactions. But, even if we assume that this is true, it is
not that important; since in international relations, there are very
few countries without ulterior motives. What is more important is
the result. That is what everybody, including the Armenians, should
focus on.
If we can all do that, and look into the last years of the
Ottoman Empire from the perspective of "shared pains," instead of
a zero-sum-game approach, then it means that we are already on the
right track.
May/01/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogans-condolences-.aspx?pageID=449&nID=65799&NewsCatID=468
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 1 2014
MUSTAFA AYDIN
The prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdošan, released a
surprising statement on April 23 about the deaths surrounding the
mass deportation of Armenians during World War I. The responses so
far range from warm welcomes to outright rejections of the message. It
clearly achieved its intended purpose: It received attention.
Discussion has focused on whether it constitutes a serious shift in
Turkish policy or an attempt at hedging towards the expected reactions
in 2015.
There could be no doubt about the short term intention of the
government, as the carefully constructed message was translated into
nine languages and circulated into international press on the eve of
yet another "genocide resolution" at the U.S. Congress. It has been a
routine for Turkish diplomacy for years to stop draft resolutions at
the U.S. Congress and prevent the U.S. president from using the G-word
in his remembrance of the 1915 events. The same has happened exactly
this year: A group of Congressmen presented a draft resolution to the
Senate on April 3. The administration did not like it and the President
used his now routine wording, "Meds Yeghern," meaning great calamity,
in referring to what happened to Anatolian Armenians in the last
years of the Ottoman Empire. Both Armenians and Turks were not happy,
but content, about his choice of words. "Nothing new," one might say.
Moreover, the long-term expectations from and the consequences of the
statement are still vague. Thus one might easily question the sincerity
of the change in Erdošan's discourse, especially when the memory of
the failure of the latest attempt at Turkish-Armenian reconciliation
and Erdošan's role in it are still fresh.
Yet, I believe Prime Minister Erdošan's latest statement should
be taken more seriously. Especially when taken into consideration
together with an analysis that includes where Turkey is coming from and
how much has changed both in Turkish society and its official policy
line. Besides the public remembrance of the "shared pains" in Turkey
in recent years, as well as other initiatives to show more compassion
toward Armenian suffering, the Turkish government's previous attempts
at secret, but direct talks with Armenian diplomats, the restoration
of several ancient Armenian churches in Anatolia and finally, football
diplomacy, leading to the preparation of two protocols to normalize
the relationship between Armenia and Turkey are important indications.
What is more, whatever his intentions were, it should be acknowledged
that Prime Minister Erdošan became the first Turkish leader to offer
"condolences to the grandchildren of the Armenians who lost their
lives a century ago." It is an important step, especially when read
together with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutošlu's description of
the 1915 events as a "mistake" during his visit to Armenia. Thus,
recognizing the value of the statement, the U.S. has welcomed it and
encouraged further efforts from the Turkish side.
Obviously, the latest gesture needs to be supported by concrete
policies, such as building diplomatic ties and opening the borders.
Otherwise it could remain an empty shell and would cause further
disappointment among Armenians. Yet, whether Erdošan, and thus Turkey,
has an ulterior motive in expressing condolences is immaterial. The
statement can easily be perceived as a tactical move to forestall
the 2015 reactions. But, even if we assume that this is true, it is
not that important; since in international relations, there are very
few countries without ulterior motives. What is more important is
the result. That is what everybody, including the Armenians, should
focus on.
If we can all do that, and look into the last years of the
Ottoman Empire from the perspective of "shared pains," instead of
a zero-sum-game approach, then it means that we are already on the
right track.
May/01/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogans-condolences-.aspx?pageID=449&nID=65799&NewsCatID=468