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FIRST-EVER ARMENIAN-LANGUAGE TEXTBOOK 'HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY' RELEASED
16:38 * 27.10.14
The first-ever Armenian-language textbook entitled 'History of the
Republic of Turkey' for higher schools has been released.
"I am sure that impartial Turkish historians or those holding opinions
different from the official position will appreciate the textbook,
and Turkish historians representing the official position will have
one more opportunity to criticize Armenia and Armenians because
the textbook reveals the real nature of their state and ideology,"
co-author, expert in Turkic studies, Deputy Dean of the Department
of Oriental Studies, Yerevan State University, Ruben Melkonyan told
Tert.am.
The textbooks on the history of Turkey published in the Soviet Union
contain information that is against the Armenian people's interests.
"Those textbooks describe Kemalism, which actually caused thousands
of Armenians to be massacred and lose their historical homeland, as
national liberation struggle. No works on contemporary history are
available, which creates problems for both students and lecturers. As
a group of experts in Turkic studies we undertook the initiative.
Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies Ruben Safrastyan joined
us both as author of one chapter and as editor of the entire volume."
The textbook covers the period of Turkish history from 1918 to 2011 -
formation of the Republic of Turkey, Kemalist movement, led by Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk, as well as the history of the republic from 1923 on,
important events, with an emphasis on Turkey's policy toward national
minorities, particularly toward Armenians.
"That also demonstrates the genocidal policies which existed in the
Ottoman Empire and later continued in the Republic of Turkey in a
slightly modified form. As for the recent developments, there is just
an address to the Armenia-Turkey protocols, the processes around them,
as well as the variety of developments inside Turkey," he said.
The book also covers the biographies of Turkey's key political figures,
the history of central political parties, as well as the chronology
of the current republic based on landmark developments.
"That ideology is considered fascism in today's European Turkology,
and it has continued to date. All the anti-Armenian manifestations
and the hostility observed in the Turkish elite is the outcome of that
ideology. We have addressed that ideology in detail," Melkonyan noted.
He added that the book addressed both domestic and foreign developments
in Turkey and the countries policies towards ethnic minorities.
He said the book first of all aims to meet the interests of scientific
circles to cover topics that weren't discussed in Armenology textbooks
before. "Secondly it is of educational importance. As a matter of
fact, this book is a big present to our students who will no longer
have to learn the modern Turkish history from obsolete Soviet-time
Russian language textbooks which often conflict with our interests.
The second key significance is the political one, as the book has
emphasized all the moments that correspond to the Armenian state and
national interests," he added.
"We haven't adjusted history to our interests, but rather - objectively
presented the history of Turkey with all its in-depth nationalistic
and fascist manifestations."
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/10/27/armenia-book-turkey/
From: A. Papazian
16:38 * 27.10.14
The first-ever Armenian-language textbook entitled 'History of the
Republic of Turkey' for higher schools has been released.
"I am sure that impartial Turkish historians or those holding opinions
different from the official position will appreciate the textbook,
and Turkish historians representing the official position will have
one more opportunity to criticize Armenia and Armenians because
the textbook reveals the real nature of their state and ideology,"
co-author, expert in Turkic studies, Deputy Dean of the Department
of Oriental Studies, Yerevan State University, Ruben Melkonyan told
Tert.am.
The textbooks on the history of Turkey published in the Soviet Union
contain information that is against the Armenian people's interests.
"Those textbooks describe Kemalism, which actually caused thousands
of Armenians to be massacred and lose their historical homeland, as
national liberation struggle. No works on contemporary history are
available, which creates problems for both students and lecturers. As
a group of experts in Turkic studies we undertook the initiative.
Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies Ruben Safrastyan joined
us both as author of one chapter and as editor of the entire volume."
The textbook covers the period of Turkish history from 1918 to 2011 -
formation of the Republic of Turkey, Kemalist movement, led by Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk, as well as the history of the republic from 1923 on,
important events, with an emphasis on Turkey's policy toward national
minorities, particularly toward Armenians.
"That also demonstrates the genocidal policies which existed in the
Ottoman Empire and later continued in the Republic of Turkey in a
slightly modified form. As for the recent developments, there is just
an address to the Armenia-Turkey protocols, the processes around them,
as well as the variety of developments inside Turkey," he said.
The book also covers the biographies of Turkey's key political figures,
the history of central political parties, as well as the chronology
of the current republic based on landmark developments.
"That ideology is considered fascism in today's European Turkology,
and it has continued to date. All the anti-Armenian manifestations
and the hostility observed in the Turkish elite is the outcome of that
ideology. We have addressed that ideology in detail," Melkonyan noted.
He added that the book addressed both domestic and foreign developments
in Turkey and the countries policies towards ethnic minorities.
He said the book first of all aims to meet the interests of scientific
circles to cover topics that weren't discussed in Armenology textbooks
before. "Secondly it is of educational importance. As a matter of
fact, this book is a big present to our students who will no longer
have to learn the modern Turkish history from obsolete Soviet-time
Russian language textbooks which often conflict with our interests.
The second key significance is the political one, as the book has
emphasized all the moments that correspond to the Armenian state and
national interests," he added.
"We haven't adjusted history to our interests, but rather - objectively
presented the history of Turkey with all its in-depth nationalistic
and fascist manifestations."
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/10/27/armenia-book-turkey/
From: A. Papazian