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Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
April 19 2015
Problematic April for Turkey
18 April 2015 - 8:32pm
Certainly, the Turkish Foreign Ministry is now looking forward to the
end of the month, when the storm from the exaggeration of the
"Armenian issue" by domestic and foreign public figures and
international media will settle. In the meantime, with the approach of
April 24, the landmark date for the Armenian people, sentiments about
the recognition or non-recognition of the genocidal killings of
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire a century ago are only igniting with
force.
Fuel was added to the fire by the speech of Pope Francis, who
described it as a "genocide" and thereby caused outrage in Ankara. The
emotional attack by the already not loved in Europe (and certainly not
loved by European journalists and NGOs) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
against Pope Francis, in turn, attached a shade of religious conflict
to this issue and led to further alienation of ordinary Europeans from
Turks. And as a result, a reinforcement of resistance to the Turkish
interpretation of historical events, as well as strengthening of
sympathetic sentiments towards Armenians.
Another unpleasant prick for Turkish diplomacy was the adoption of a
resolution by the European Parliament, in which it called on Turkey to
"recognize the Armenian Genocide." It has been possible to hold such a
resolution through the European Parliament, because ultimately no
country took direct responsibility for its adoption, which means that
the vote is hardly reflected in the bilateral relations between Turkey
and any particular country of EU. In other words, the principle of
reduction of personal responsibility for collective decisions was
operating.
The reaction of the Turkish state, again, has been sustained in a
traditional style: "This resolution of the European Parliament, we
will let in one ear and release it from the other." The Turkish
Foreign Ministry, in turn, reproached the European Parliament for
"religious fanaticism", with which it further strengthened the
religious aspect of this matter, unfavorable to Turkey in terms of
publicity.
How skillfully the Armenian side can use the factor of religious
solidarity for their own political purposes is already known in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Despite its pronounced ethno-territorial
subtext, Armenian lobbyists in the West have worked diligently and are
still working on giving it an interreligious shade. Against the
background of strengthening Islamophobic sentiments in Europe in
recent years, it is an obvious and profitable move for Armenia in the
information confrontation with the Turkish-Azerbaijani bloc.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of the anniversary, an attempt to pass a
bill on recognition of the "Armenian Genocide" was made in the German
Bundestag. And if in France, with its strong Armenian Diaspora,
everything had been decided at the legislative level a long time ago,
and there was even a serious attempt to introduce a bill on
criminalization of the denial of the "Armenian Genocide", while in
Germany the situation is somewhat different. Turkish Armenians,
fleeing from war, were in no hurry to migrate to Germany, which was an
ally of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Moreover, many
Armenians accused the Germans that by their actions they actually
contributed to the mass killings of Armenians in Turkey.
In any case, the Federal Republic of Germany has not yet developed a
large and well-structured lobbying group that would closely work on
the Diaspora bill, coveted by Armenia. As reported by German media, a
resolution on the events of 1915 is currently being prepared in the
Bundestag, however, the term "genocide" was later removed from its
original project. According to Vestnik Kavkaza's sources in the German
parliament, particularly vigorous activity of the Armenian diaspora in
this matter was not observed, as well as attempts to put pressure on
the deputies - such opportunities are simply not available for the
Armenian Diaspora in Berlin.
The main danger for Ankara awaits not in the German parliament, where,
thanks to the pragmatists in the ruling coalition, the right to make a
decision on the interpretation of historical events still will be
given to historians. But the former pastor, now President of Germany
Joachim Gauck, is absolutely not a fan of Erdogan and Turkey. Which,
incidentally, is mutual. Even during his visit to Turkey last year,
Hauk publicly criticized the AKP government because of restrictions of
freedom in this country, which Ankara considered interference in the
internal affairs of the state. An enraged Erdogan once publicly
commented on another of Hauk's democratic sermons, saying that the
German president has still not left the role of pastor. Now, however,
"the pastor" is scheduled to visit an event called "The Armenian
Genocide, Arameans and Pontic Greeks" on April 23, where he is going
to make a speech. In Ankara, it will be hard to follow what Joachim
Gauck will say. But it is already clear that the Turks will hear
nothing pleasant for themselves from the German president.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/69747.html
April 19 2015
Problematic April for Turkey
18 April 2015 - 8:32pm
Certainly, the Turkish Foreign Ministry is now looking forward to the
end of the month, when the storm from the exaggeration of the
"Armenian issue" by domestic and foreign public figures and
international media will settle. In the meantime, with the approach of
April 24, the landmark date for the Armenian people, sentiments about
the recognition or non-recognition of the genocidal killings of
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire a century ago are only igniting with
force.
Fuel was added to the fire by the speech of Pope Francis, who
described it as a "genocide" and thereby caused outrage in Ankara. The
emotional attack by the already not loved in Europe (and certainly not
loved by European journalists and NGOs) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
against Pope Francis, in turn, attached a shade of religious conflict
to this issue and led to further alienation of ordinary Europeans from
Turks. And as a result, a reinforcement of resistance to the Turkish
interpretation of historical events, as well as strengthening of
sympathetic sentiments towards Armenians.
Another unpleasant prick for Turkish diplomacy was the adoption of a
resolution by the European Parliament, in which it called on Turkey to
"recognize the Armenian Genocide." It has been possible to hold such a
resolution through the European Parliament, because ultimately no
country took direct responsibility for its adoption, which means that
the vote is hardly reflected in the bilateral relations between Turkey
and any particular country of EU. In other words, the principle of
reduction of personal responsibility for collective decisions was
operating.
The reaction of the Turkish state, again, has been sustained in a
traditional style: "This resolution of the European Parliament, we
will let in one ear and release it from the other." The Turkish
Foreign Ministry, in turn, reproached the European Parliament for
"religious fanaticism", with which it further strengthened the
religious aspect of this matter, unfavorable to Turkey in terms of
publicity.
How skillfully the Armenian side can use the factor of religious
solidarity for their own political purposes is already known in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Despite its pronounced ethno-territorial
subtext, Armenian lobbyists in the West have worked diligently and are
still working on giving it an interreligious shade. Against the
background of strengthening Islamophobic sentiments in Europe in
recent years, it is an obvious and profitable move for Armenia in the
information confrontation with the Turkish-Azerbaijani bloc.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of the anniversary, an attempt to pass a
bill on recognition of the "Armenian Genocide" was made in the German
Bundestag. And if in France, with its strong Armenian Diaspora,
everything had been decided at the legislative level a long time ago,
and there was even a serious attempt to introduce a bill on
criminalization of the denial of the "Armenian Genocide", while in
Germany the situation is somewhat different. Turkish Armenians,
fleeing from war, were in no hurry to migrate to Germany, which was an
ally of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Moreover, many
Armenians accused the Germans that by their actions they actually
contributed to the mass killings of Armenians in Turkey.
In any case, the Federal Republic of Germany has not yet developed a
large and well-structured lobbying group that would closely work on
the Diaspora bill, coveted by Armenia. As reported by German media, a
resolution on the events of 1915 is currently being prepared in the
Bundestag, however, the term "genocide" was later removed from its
original project. According to Vestnik Kavkaza's sources in the German
parliament, particularly vigorous activity of the Armenian diaspora in
this matter was not observed, as well as attempts to put pressure on
the deputies - such opportunities are simply not available for the
Armenian Diaspora in Berlin.
The main danger for Ankara awaits not in the German parliament, where,
thanks to the pragmatists in the ruling coalition, the right to make a
decision on the interpretation of historical events still will be
given to historians. But the former pastor, now President of Germany
Joachim Gauck, is absolutely not a fan of Erdogan and Turkey. Which,
incidentally, is mutual. Even during his visit to Turkey last year,
Hauk publicly criticized the AKP government because of restrictions of
freedom in this country, which Ankara considered interference in the
internal affairs of the state. An enraged Erdogan once publicly
commented on another of Hauk's democratic sermons, saying that the
German president has still not left the role of pastor. Now, however,
"the pastor" is scheduled to visit an event called "The Armenian
Genocide, Arameans and Pontic Greeks" on April 23, where he is going
to make a speech. In Ankara, it will be hard to follow what Joachim
Gauck will say. But it is already clear that the Turks will hear
nothing pleasant for themselves from the German president.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/69747.html