GENOCIDE 100: PUTIN'S VISIT, OBAMA'S POSSIBLE G-WORD DISCUSSED AHEAD OF APRIL 24 COMMEMORATIONS
ANALYSIS | 15.04.15 | 11:11
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
Whether Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to Armenia for the
commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
on April 24 or not continues to be a major political intrigue in
the region.
The Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing its sources, reports that
a decision has been made that Putin will visit Armenia on April 24,
while Russian State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin will travel to
Turkey for the events marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of
Gallipoli to be staged there the same day.
There are still no official reports on this, while the Armenian and
Russian media actively discussed in what difficult situation Putin
has appeared - he has to choose between Armenia and Turkey.
Meanwhile, some analysts believe that Putin can come up with a clever
move that will help him avoid the necessity of making a choice between
preserving his power over Armenia and his alliance with Turkey.
Russian State Duma Speaker Naryshkin, who paid a visit to Armenia
earlier this month, said that Russia is ready to adopt a new document
for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also said that he will make a special
statement on April 24.
Experts do not exclude that the statements of the presidents of
Turkey and Russia will have the same purpose. Russia may urge Turkey
to ratify the 2009 Armenian-Turkish protocols, and Turkey can "at the
request of Russia" do so. Such a move will help both Russia and Turkey
to avoid the "tsunami" of the Armenian Genocide recognition, which,
according to one of the Turkish lawmakers, is rapidly approaching.
Turkey and Russia are working to get closer in their relations. Deputy
Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Cemil Cicek is now visiting Russia.
He has already met with Naryshkin and stated that Russia is a
reliable partner of Turkey. He also noted that Russia and Turkey
need to work more closely on international stages. At the same time,
Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's Rosatom nuclear corporation, who
is visiting Turkey, continues to make attractive offers to Turkey
regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant.
In Armenia there are premonitions that on the eve of the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide Turkey and Russia will again
manage to create an alliance that will enable them to neutralize the
Armenian claims and to maintain joint control over the South Caucasus
region and other territories. One should not forget that Armenian
territories were once divided between Turkey and Russia under the
treaties of Kars and Moscow (signed in 1921).
The position of the Western community becomes important on this
matter. After Pope Francis conducted a Holy Mass in the Vatican
dedicated to the memory of the Ottoman-era Genocide of Armenians and
referred to the mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as the
"first genocide of the 20th century", now it has again become an
intrigue whether U.S. President Barack Obama will say the G-word in
his traditional annual address to Armenians on April 24. Another
interesting aspect is at what level the United States will be
represented at the upcoming commemorations in Yerevan.
In the early 20th century, when after the First World War Turkey and
Russia were able to get their shares of the Middle Eastern cake, the
United States failed to persuade Europe to accept its version of the
partition of the Ottoman Empire known as Woodrow Wilson's Arbitrary
Verdict. It remains a question whether the United States will try to
"partition" the region according to its former plan a century after
it failed.
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/62376/armenia_russia_putin_visit_genocide_memorial_april _24
ANALYSIS | 15.04.15 | 11:11
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
Whether Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to Armenia for the
commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
on April 24 or not continues to be a major political intrigue in
the region.
The Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing its sources, reports that
a decision has been made that Putin will visit Armenia on April 24,
while Russian State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin will travel to
Turkey for the events marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of
Gallipoli to be staged there the same day.
There are still no official reports on this, while the Armenian and
Russian media actively discussed in what difficult situation Putin
has appeared - he has to choose between Armenia and Turkey.
Meanwhile, some analysts believe that Putin can come up with a clever
move that will help him avoid the necessity of making a choice between
preserving his power over Armenia and his alliance with Turkey.
Russian State Duma Speaker Naryshkin, who paid a visit to Armenia
earlier this month, said that Russia is ready to adopt a new document
for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also said that he will make a special
statement on April 24.
Experts do not exclude that the statements of the presidents of
Turkey and Russia will have the same purpose. Russia may urge Turkey
to ratify the 2009 Armenian-Turkish protocols, and Turkey can "at the
request of Russia" do so. Such a move will help both Russia and Turkey
to avoid the "tsunami" of the Armenian Genocide recognition, which,
according to one of the Turkish lawmakers, is rapidly approaching.
Turkey and Russia are working to get closer in their relations. Deputy
Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Cemil Cicek is now visiting Russia.
He has already met with Naryshkin and stated that Russia is a
reliable partner of Turkey. He also noted that Russia and Turkey
need to work more closely on international stages. At the same time,
Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's Rosatom nuclear corporation, who
is visiting Turkey, continues to make attractive offers to Turkey
regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant.
In Armenia there are premonitions that on the eve of the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide Turkey and Russia will again
manage to create an alliance that will enable them to neutralize the
Armenian claims and to maintain joint control over the South Caucasus
region and other territories. One should not forget that Armenian
territories were once divided between Turkey and Russia under the
treaties of Kars and Moscow (signed in 1921).
The position of the Western community becomes important on this
matter. After Pope Francis conducted a Holy Mass in the Vatican
dedicated to the memory of the Ottoman-era Genocide of Armenians and
referred to the mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as the
"first genocide of the 20th century", now it has again become an
intrigue whether U.S. President Barack Obama will say the G-word in
his traditional annual address to Armenians on April 24. Another
interesting aspect is at what level the United States will be
represented at the upcoming commemorations in Yerevan.
In the early 20th century, when after the First World War Turkey and
Russia were able to get their shares of the Middle Eastern cake, the
United States failed to persuade Europe to accept its version of the
partition of the Ottoman Empire known as Woodrow Wilson's Arbitrary
Verdict. It remains a question whether the United States will try to
"partition" the region according to its former plan a century after
it failed.
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/62376/armenia_russia_putin_visit_genocide_memorial_april _24