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TURKISH INTELLECTUAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS, RECEIV


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#1 Yervant1

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Posted 29 October 2014 - 12:34 PM

TURKISH INTELLECTUAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS, RECEIVES MEMORIAL MEDAL

18:06, 28 Oct 2014

Aida Avetisyan
Public Radio of Armenia

The National Council of Western Armenians NGO has decided to convene
the 4th congress of Western Armenians before April 24, 2015, where
the participants will approve the legal -political demands that will
be presented to the state and public circles of Turkey.

Before that at a meeting on October 12 the Council established a
memorial medal named after Catholicos George V of Armenia, which
will be awarded to Turkish intellectuals, who have revealed important
theories and proofs of the Armenian Genocide.

Writer, historian and sociologist Ismail Beshikchi became the first
recipient of the medal. He has authored tens of scientific works,
which contradict the Turkish official policy of distorting history. He
started writing about the Armenian Genocide from 1970s and spent over
15 years in jail for expressing his opinion. In all his works Beshikchi
stresses that the massacre of Armenian in 1915 was the first genocide.

"In the course of my research I've come to understand that the
Kurdish and Syrian issues are the logical continuation of the Armenian
Genocide. Had the Armenian Genocide been punished, there would be no
Kurdish issue," he said.

The Turkish writer visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial today to pay
tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

http://www.armradio....memorial-medal/

 


#2 Yervant1

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Posted 29 October 2014 - 12:36 PM

1915 MENTALITY CONTINUES TO DATE, SAYS EX-TURKISH MAYOR

16:44 * 28.10.14

A former mayor of the Turkish town of Diyarbekir, who is now on a
visit to Armenia, says conducting a trip to the country has been his
long-time dream.

At a news conference in Yerevan, Osman Baydemir said he very much
regrets that the mentality characteristic of the 1915 Genocide period
continues today, leading to such violent crimes as the recent militant
insurgencies in Kobane (Syria).

"The 1915 mentality and ideology continue nowadays," he noted.

Agreeing with the former mayor, Ismail Beshikci, a prominent Turkish
scholar also attending the news conference, said his visit to the
Genocide Museum-Institute brought him face to face with the idea that
institutions of the kind should focus more attention on stateless
nations being subjected to Genocide.

"The first Genocide is the one committed 1915," he said, noting that
its impunity later led to the Jewish Holocaust.

"And the Kurdish issue too, can be said to be the logical continuation
of the Armenian Genocide. Had the Armenian Genocide been punished,
the Kurdish issue would not have struck its roots so deep," he said,
stressing the importance of national education and confrontation with
history as important factors for preventing future crimes of genocide.

The idea was also shared by the Kurdish activist Nurjan Kaya who
said the nation pursued the genocidal mentality later too in order
to become dominant.

Turkai Abdulgafur, an ethnic Armenian whose family was converted to
Islam after taking flight from the Genocide, said it is very difficult
to be an Armenian in Diyarbekir. He said the family had never had an
occasion to reveal its identity ever since. "We have been more Muslim
than the Muslims to be able to survive," he added.

Abdulgafur further spoke of Armenians in Turkey, noting that those
converted to Islam (4-5 million) considerably outnumber the Christian
Armenians. He said the community is isolated from the Armenians in
both Armenia and the Diaspora.

http://www.tert.am/e...8/armenia-1915/
 



#3 Yervant1

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Posted 05 November 2014 - 12:23 PM

WHAT DO PEOPLE MEAN IN TURKEY BY ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION?-ARMENIAN

Monday, 03 November 2014

Armenian genocide : recognition and reparations

Standpoint of Turkey

What do people mean in Turkey by Armenian genocide recognition?

Burcin Gercek

Journalist from Turkey.

In spite of many initiatives to develop awareness of the Turkish
society regarding what happened in 1915 and appeals to ask for official
forgiveness, a deeper reflection needs to be carried out in Turkey
about how to render justice a hundred years after the genocide.

On the eve of the centennial of the Armenian genocide, the positions
of the Turkish civil society and authorities are very different from
those in the days when just uttering the word genocide was still
taboo. The time is over when suggesting that Ankara recognize the
genocide was considered utopian - although the people who take or
follow steps in that direction remain a relatively small circle in
Turkey. However, there still are very different meanings attached to
the word recognition according to various community groups in Turkey,
and they may seem far from what Armenians understand by it.

"Facing 1915" -- the growing awareness of Turkish civil society

When the words Armenian genocide were still a taboo in Turkey, with
rare initiatives trying to break it, the only available sources in
Turkish were the studies of Taner Akcam and the publications of Ragip
Zarakolu. The priority of some intellectuals was to raise awareness
in the Turkish society - who had remained in ignorance for decades -
about what had happened in 1915. Thus, the recognitionexpected at
the time was from the civil society. It was not necessarily a call
for official State recognition, and even less for reparations. In
those days, some intellectuals even stressed - through many articles
and lectures given in Turkey and abroad - that the use of the word
genocide could be an obstacle to raising awareness among the Turkish
society, and that asking for official recognition was still premature.

In that same period, journalist Hrant Dink took a different approach.

Convinced that developing awareness in the Turkish civil society was
paramount and that a new language was needed to speak to people's
consciences, Hrant Dink would nevertheless use radical words, and did
not shy away from the word genocide. He refused however to focus on
efforts to obtain recognition by parliaments abroad, and even at home.

"Will your story be true when the Turks recognize it? I don't doubt
my own story. I don't have any problem with either recognizing or not
recognizing the genocide. It's an issue that concerns human rights
and your conscience. It's not my problem, since I know very well what
happened to us in the past," he declared in an interview for Nokta
Magazine in 2004.

After Hrant Dink's assassination in 2007, debates on 1915 and genocide
recognition took another turn in Turkey. In March of the same year the
NGO Dur De! ("Say Halt to racism and nationalism") was founded, and
three years later it staged its first 24th April Remembrance Day in
Taksim Square, Istanbul. In the meantime, the "Ask for Forgiveness"
campaign was launched by Ali Bayramoglu, Cengiz Aktar and Ahmet
Insel, with the support of many Turkish intellectuals. Opening a wide
debate in Turkey, the movement was nevertheless mostly concerned with
"developing awareness through society." The text of the Appeal is
based on an individual approach to asking forgiveness and sharing
"of feelings and pains," without mentioning any need for action on
the part of the Turkish State.

Clearly breaking a taboo, the first commemoration of 24th April
organized in 2010 in Taksim Square, initiated by Dur De!, was not
going beyond that framework either. The Appeal text essentially
referred to the "great catastrophe," and "feeling immense pain,"
without mentioning any request for recognition.

Requesting State recognition Long before remembrance ceremonies took
place in public squares, the Human Rights Organization IHD (Insan
Haklari Dernegi) had organized ceremonies in smaller circles. "We have
called for State recognition at the very beginning of our action,
in 2005," recalls Ayse Gunaysu of the IHD. In 2014, theDur De! And
IHC celebrations, which had until then been organized separately, were
unified and the demand for State recognition was thus included in the
Appeal text. At the same time, many organizations and foundations,
including Anadolu Kultur, Heinrich Böll and the Helsinki Citizens
Assembly worked out projects towards normalizing relations between
Turkey and Armenia, raising the sensitivity of public opinion about the
rights of minorities and promoting better knowledge of the Armenian
genocide by Turkish society. Many cultural activities, lectures,
exhibitions and workshops for the young were organized by the NGOs
working in that field. The Hrant Dink Foundation also became a major
player in organizing activities towards better understanding the 1915
events. The main goal of these activities is to contribute to the
democratization of Turkey, which cannot progress without overcoming
the taboo subject of the Armenian genocide. In the eyes of some
political players, making 1915 known to a larger audience in Turkey
also makes it possible to question the foundations of a State system
based on the absence of responsibility and judgement for the crimes
perpetrated against those who were qualified as "inner enemies" -
namely, at various times, Kurds, Alevis, non-Muslim communities,
but also any kind of opposition.

The Kurdish movement thus considered that, after aiming at Armenians,
State violence had turned against Kurds. Together with the BDP-HDP
alliance (Peace and Democracy Party-People's Democratic Party)
and the councils led by those two parties, it undertook several
actions calling to face the past and asking for State recognition
of the Armenian genocide. For instance, the Sur district council, in
Diyarbakir, erected a monument of "common conscience." A remembrance
ceremony was even organized on 24th April 2014 with the exhibition
"99 portraits of Exile: 99 photos of Armenian Genocide survivors" in
partnership wit the Diyarbakir Council and French-Armenian NGO Yerkir
Europe. Many intellectuals, academics, researchers and activists who
define themselves politically as left wing or liberal wrote about the
need for State recognition of the genocide and asking for forgiveness
in the name of the State. But few of them mentioned the meaning of
such recognition and above all which answers to bring to the requests
for justice made by descendants of genocide victims. The question of
reparations/compensation - and which form they should take - is only
broached by a handful of activists or intellectuals.

As for circles considered close to the Justice and Development
Party (AKP, in power), the stands are diverse and sometimes include
very different proposals on government position .As shown by the
"condolences" text published by Erdogan in April 2014, the government
has recently showed an approach based on the recognition of "common
suffering" and "fair memory," a concept made up by the former minister
of Foreign Affairs and current Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. There is
of course no chance at the moment that the government will pronounce
the word genocide or recognize it. The condolences presented by
Erdogan last 24th April were thus presented by pro-AKP columnists
as a "revolution" and a response to the demands of Armenians. But
some pro-government columnists, such as Hakan Albayrak or Rasim Ozan
Kutahyah, go further and write about the need for an official asking
for forgiveness for "the wrongs causes by what appears to have been
genocide perpetrated against innocent Armenians," and even suggest
possible financial reparations. In the words of Albayrak, the payment
of indemnities "of maybe 5 or 10 billion dollars, would lighten
Turkey like a bird" and "the world industry around the genocide would
collapse." Reading those lines, one cannot help remembering Erdogan's
refusal to apologize for the victims of the military blunder that cost
the lives of 33 people in the Kurdish village of Roboski in 2011,
in the most arrogant statement: "We gave out indemnities. What else
do they want?"

Another approach, which does not deny the 1915 facts but tries to
find an alternative to recognition or asking for forgiveness, has
been worked out by conservative circles called Helallesme - or "to be
even" in Turkish. (See article by Yetvart Danzikyan on the subject:
"Apology, confrontation, mourning").

Asking for justice and reparations

Despite tangible breakthroughs regarding awareness of the 1915
events in the Turkish society as well as debates about the need for
recognition and for the State asking for forgiveness, only very few
intellectuals have tackled the question of reparations and how to
responds to requests for justice from the descendents of genocide
victims. In 2011, the human rights organization IHD (Initiative for
Freedom of Thought) included a request for reparations in its demands.

Taner Akcam, Umit Kurt, Mehmet Polatel, Sait Cetinoglu and Nevzat
Onaran are some of the few researchers working on the subject of
properties belonging to Armenians which were confiscated during and
after the genocide. As for the government, its sole proposal for
"reparations" has so far consisted in granting a right of return to
the country and citizenship to the descendants of the genocide victims.

On the 24th April 2014 Remembrance Day, which was coordinated in
Ankara by the IHD, Dur De!, the Modern Lawyers Association, the HCP
(People's Democratic Party) and OSP (Socialist Party), more precise
requests were made about reparations. The Appeal document, signed by
intellectuals like researcher Sait Cetinoglu and writer Temel Demirer,
addressed the following requests to the government:

- End genocide denial.

- Ask for forgiveness on behalf of the Turkish State.

- Grant citizenship rights to victims of the genocide and return all
of their confiscated material properties or indemnify correspondingly.

- Take the names of genocide criminals off schools, boulevards,
squares and streets.

- Give the names of genocide victims to public squares.

- Stop deliberate misinformation through public institutions, mass
media and school programmes.

- Criminalize genocide denial as a "hate crime."

The need for official recognition and for reparations should also be
voiced during the 24th April centennial celebrations which will be
organized separately by both the IHD and Dur De! next year. Beyond
these steps and the current embryonic debate on the possible ways
reparations could be implemented, deeper reflection still needs to
be carried out in Turkey on how to render justice a hundred years
after the genocide.

http://repairfuture....nition-armenian
 



#4 Yervant1

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Posted 25 December 2014 - 10:45 AM

http://www.horizonwe...s/details/56063

COMMEMORATION OF THE CENTENNIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN DIYARBAKIR
22-24 APRIL, 2015

Why Diyarbakir (Dikranagerd)?

The Gomidas Institute, with the support of the Turkish Human Rights
Association, is organising a series of commemorative events in Diyarbakir
between April 22-24, 2015 to mark the centennial of the Armenian Genocide.
The focus on Diyarbakir is for good historical and political reasons.

Diyarbakir was a major theatre of the Armenian Genocide

The Ottoman province of Diyarbakir was a key theatre of the Armenian
Genocide. Its governor Reshid Bey in 1915 played a prominent role in the
mass murder of Armenians. Some of the victims - such as the local prelate
Mgrdich Chlghadian - were killed in the city, thousands more were killed
outside, and even more further afield.

Diyarbakir already recognises the Armenian Genocide

Today, the people living in Diyarbakir recognise the Armenian Genocide and
wish to make amends. The city's co-mayors and regional representative's at
the Turkish Parliament speak out on the Armenian issue with a clear voice.
Diyarbakir city has already supported the reconstruction of Sourp Giragos
church, one of the largest Armenian churches in the world. Armenians can
live freely in this city. At last year's commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide, the men and women who stood up for Armenians represented millions
of people. They included prominent politicians, lawyers, human rights
activists, and others.

Making a common stand in Diyarbakir

A strong Armenian presence in Diyarbakir this coming April will have great
moral and political significance by strengthening reconciliation between
Armenians and Kurds, challenging the official Turkish denial of the
Armenian Genocide.

The Gomidas Institute has been active in Turkey since the 1990s. While
opposing the official denials of Turkish state intellectuals, the Institute
has also built bridges with Turkish civil society and sought just
resolution of outstanding issues. The Institute has organised successful
projects in Diyarbakir before, including the commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide - and this coming year's commemoration builds on earlier successes.


COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAMME DIYARBAKIR APRIL 22-24, 2015
April 22
Gathering and welcome in Diyarbakir city.

April 23
Morning: Visit the major massacre site where over 600 Armenians, including
the Diyarbakir Armenian leadership, were slaughtered.
Afternoon: Visit the gravesite of Mihemedê Mistê of Ã=8Alih, the Kurdish
tribal leader who opposed the Genocide of Armenians.
Evening: Visit special events and exhibitions in the city or gather at
Sourp Giragos with human rights activists and supporters.

April 24
Morning: Visit the old prison and the governor's building, where many
victims were held before being killed.
Noon: A commemorative ceremony in the ruins of St. Sarkis church followed
by a public rally with featured speakers organised by the Diyarbakir Branch
of the Human Rights' Association. This event will be followed by serving
"helva" in memory of all the victims of 1915 and their descendants.

Additional : Kharpert to Diyarbakir
For those interested: We plan to fly to Elazig (Harput/Kharpert) on April
19th and go to Diyarbakir overland, covering a major deportation route and
crossing key sites related to Armenians and the Genocide of 1915.

Press Release : www.gomidas.org



#5 Yervant1

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 10:48 AM

ZARAKOLU GRANTED HIS "PEACE" AWARD TO SEVAN NISHANIAN AND MEMORY OF HRANT DINK

13:59, 16 December, 2015

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Turkish human rights activist,
publisher and author of numerous works on Armenian Genocide Ragip
Zarakolu was awarded with Denmark PL Foundation Peace Award on December
10. This award is granted to persons and organizations fighting for
democracy through non-violence.

As the Press, information and Public relations Department of the
Armenian MFA informed "Armenpress", PL Foundation President Poul
Sögaard had a speech during the official ceremony which was organized
in the centre at the national museum of Denmark. He pointed out that
"Peace" award is given toRagip Zarakolu for his many years of struggle
in the fields of human rights and freedom of thought as well as for
awareness-raising efforts over the Genocide fulfilled 100 years ago
in the Ottoman Empire, for what he was prosecuted and imprisoned for
several times.

In his response, Zarakolu said that the award is dated to Armenian
"Agos" newspaper editor Hrant Dink, killed several years ago and
to long-term imprisoned Armenian-Turkish journalist, linguist and
architect Sevan Nishanian.

He called for denouncing and condemning the extreme intolerance in
Turkey and supporting as much as it possible the release of imprisoned
intellectuals.

http://armenpress.am...hrant-dink.html



#6 Yervant1

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 10:50 AM

TURKEY REMAINS UNDER HEAVY BURDEN OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: RAGIP ZARAKOLU

12:59, 16 December, 2015

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Confronting the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide was an important moment for the Turkish
Republic. Leaving aside the apology, compensation, the state could
not even respect the pain of the Armenian people. But did Armenian
people have a loss from all of that? No. Turkey was again the one to
lose. As "Armenpress" reports, prominent Turkish intellectual Ragıp
Zarakolu writes about the aforesaid.

"The Republic of Turkey, which persists not to be changed, took
confident steps not towards democracy but - totalitarianism during the
100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Throughout the history of
the Republic, the denial of the Armenian Genocide became an integral
part of totalitarian ideology. For this reason, the main conditions
for the democratization of Turkey are the recognition, apology and
compensation of the Armenian Genocide," Zarakolu mentions in his
statement, emphasizing that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
is important, not for its victims, but in terms of the existence of
the Turkish state.

"This country keeps repeating the same mistakes and it causes
instability and a threat not only for the country but also in terms
of neighboring countries," the Turkish intellectual wrote.

He notes that the Genocide launched 100 years ago, is going on in Syria
and Iraq already in 2015, where 3rd and 4th generations of Armenians,
Assyrians and Yazidis are under target.

"The victims stopped being just victims; they are martyrs after the
Canonization ceremony of Armenian Genocide victims in Etchmiadzin on
April 23. Their graves are not already open; they were buried in the
heart of the people. They are already in hearts of the world people.

But Turkish Republic will continue to remain under heavy burden of
the implemented heavy crime against humanity. It could not found
a peaceful society for 100 years, as it was not able to say "never
again" but continued to threaten saying "I'll do again."

And as long as this mentality has not changed, there has been no
confrontation with history, apology and compensation culture is not
formed, and while impunity continues, these bloody land will not find
their peace.

The struggle for the reality will continue and conscience will win
in the end." Zarakolu concluded the statement.

http://armenpress.am...p-zarakolu.html
 



#7 Yervant1

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Posted 22 July 2022 - 07:59 AM

NEWS.am
Armenia - July 21 2022
 
Taner Akcam: Azerbaijan has taken Turkey ‘hostage’ so that latter would not normalize relations with Armenia
12:11, 21.07.2022
 
 

It's very good that Armenia and Turkey are talking to each other because these countries are neighbors, and you can't choose your neighbors, but you have to find ways for them—despite all the problems associated with it. Taner Akcam, a famous Turkish historian and Inaugural Director of the Armenian Genocide Research Program of the Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA, made such a prediction on the regular edition of the "Strength Factor" program.

"In international relations, all over the world, even enemy states have diplomatic relations with each other. So, based on many circumstances, I am fully in favor of establishing diplomatic relations and opening borders. But whether we can call this a normalization of relations is another question. I am in favor of establishing diplomatic relations and opening the border because it is an important precondition for the normalization of relations," he said.

To the question of whether there are real possibilities of reopening the Armenia-Turkey border and establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries, which would be a necessary prerequisite for the normalization of relations, Taner Akcam said that the matter should be considered at several levels.

"I am following the path of Hrant Dink, and the most important thing for me is to develop the relations between the two peoples, this is very important for us. Closed borders and the absence of diplomatic relations are one of the main tests for the broken relations between peoples. That is why, I believe, the establishment of diplomatic relations and the opening of the border will help in this matter. It is important that Armenia and Turkey can talk directly to each other and discuss various issues. Whether this will help in the normalization of relations is another question," he said.

According to the historian, Armenian-Turkish or Armenia-Turkey relations have ended up in the shadow of Azerbaijan. He reminded that it was Turkey that originally refused to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia, "And Azerbaijan has taken Turkey ‘hostage’ so that the latter would not normalize relations with Armenia."

"There have been various governments in Turkey, some of which found that policy of Azerbaijan convenient because they themselves did not want to establish relations with Armenia under any circumstances, and some governments followed the path of Azerbaijan out of economic or selfish interests. I am not so sure whether this process will contribute to the establishment of Armenia-Turkey relations; let's wait and see. I am not an expert on international relations, but this issue should be paid attention to. I am fully in favor of bringing people closer together, creating ties, and developing relations between the parties," he emphasized.

Addressing the question of whether the Turkish president really wants to establish diplomatic relations, normalize relations with Armenia, and create a favorable environment for improving the relations between the Armenian and Turkish peoples, Taner Akcam said that no matter how bad the objectives of the Turkish president may be, in international relations you have to look at the matter from a different perspective. According to him, you can never know those objectives, but you can guess the conditions.

"This is where I see the motives that may lie behind Turkey's goals to develop relations with Armenia. The first is economic benefit. Turkey is a very powerful country economically. Yes, there are serious economic problems now, but Turkey is quite a powerful country. In case of opening the border and establishing diplomatic relations, normalizing the relations with Armenia, Turkey will gain a lot economically because if the negotiations have a positive end, it will get a direct connection with Armenia, Azerbaijan, as well as Central Asian countries, it will also get access to railways, etc. This will be a great economic benefit for Turkey, and this was not possible because of Azerbaijan," he said.

According to Taner Akcam, Turkey wants to become a regional power, just like all other big states want to achieve it in their regions. And if Turkey wants to achieve this, it is in its interest to establish relations with Armenia. The historian also mentioned that we should not forget that the main—or the only—precondition posited by Turkey for the establishment of relations with Armenia was the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict, and now Turkey has no other justification from the point of view of discourse and ideology.

"There was a war [in the fall of 2020], Azerbaijan won it, and Armenia practically lost the main part of Nagorno-Karabakh, and the only justification that Turkey was positing for the normalization of relations with Armenia is no longer there; fortunately or unfortunately, that issue was resolved on the battlefield. Therefore, Turkey no longer has another precondition, and that is, in my opinion, the reason why it is beneficial for Turkey to normalize relations with Armenia. I believe that they are serious, but that seriousness of the Turkish side largely depends on Azerbaijan's policy. Compared to us, the international observers, Armenians naturally know much better that Azerbaijan's policy does not stabilize the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, they [i.e., the Azerbaijanis] are still pursuing a long-term policy of ethnic cleansing [of the Armenians]," he said.

The Turkish historian noted that it is not known what preconditions Azerbaijan can posit before Turkey for negotiations with Armenia.

"The situation here is quite fragile, I can't say more, but I want to emphasize again that the shadow of Azerbaijan is now present in the negotiations, but it will continue to be. As Azerbaijan seems to have given Turkey a green light in this matter, we should really take advantage of this as much as possible," he emphasized.

Turning to the question that there is concern in the Armenian society about how it is possible to normalize relations with Turkey if in 2020 the latter clearly supported Azerbaijan in its bloody war unleashed against Artsakh, Taner Akcam said that these concerns are justified and it is not possible to object to them and to say that there were no such steps by Turkey; they are facts, they should be accepted as reality.

"The question is whether it is possible to achieve better relations if [Armenia-Turkey] the border remains closed, all ties are severed, or to achieve at least some changes in Turkey's internal politics using the opening of the border, the establishment of diplomatic relations, and any other type of bilateral relations. I understand these concerns, they are justified because Turkey is really pursuing an aggressive policy—and not only towards Armenia. Look at what policy Turkey is pursuing against the Syrian Kurds and, in general, against Syria; these are really important issues. It is possible to change this approach, or at least there is a possibility to change it, if there are bilateral relations between the parties," Taner Akcam said.

https://news.am/eng/news/712802.html



#8 Yervant1

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Posted 06 March 2024 - 08:49 AM

pngISWGjpuirN.png
March 5 2024
 
Hikmet Çetin Urges Turkey to Acknowledge Historical Wrongs, Apologize to Armenians Hikmet Çetin advocates for Turkey to confront its history, calling for apologies for Dersim pogroms and the events of 1915. A significant move towards reconciliation and healing.
Safak Costu
 

In a recent interview with Turkish Artigercek, Hikmet Çetin, a figure with a rich political background including roles as former deputy prime minister, former head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, and former leader of the opposition People's Republican Party, made a compelling call for the Turkish government to confront and apologize for the pogroms in Dersim and the events of 1915. Çetin, who played a pivotal role in Turkey's early recognition of Armenia's independence, emphasized the necessity for the state to own up to these dark chapters in its history.

Recognizing the Past

Çetin's statements come as a rare admission from a high-ranking Turkish official about the country's historical grievances, particularly regarding the events of 1915, often referred to as the Armenian Genocide. His call for an official apology from the Turkish state highlights a significant shift in perspective, advocating for a reconciliation process that addresses past atrocities. Çetin recalled his tenure as Foreign Minister when Armenia declared independence, and Turkey was among the first nations to recognize it, pointing to a foundation for potential diplomatic rapprochement.

The Importance of Apology

Apologies in international relations go beyond mere formalities; they are crucial for healing historical wounds and building bridges between nations. Çetin's advocacy for an official apology to Armenians for the events of 1915 is rooted in this understanding. By acknowledging the injustices of the past, Turkey can pave the way for a more inclusive and truthful narrative about its history, fostering better relations with Armenia and its own citizens of Armenian descent.

Looking Forward

The implications of Çetin's statements are profound, suggesting a path towards reconciliation that many had considered unlikely. This call for acknowledgment and apology may serve as a catalyst for change in Turkey's approach to its history with Armenians and other minority groups. While the realization of such a vision remains to be seen, the mere fact that a politician of Çetin's stature has voiced it publicly is a step forward in the long journey towards acknowledging and rectifying historical wrongs.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The conversation initiated by Hikmet Çetin opens up a space for dialogue and reflection on parts of Turkish history that have long been silenced or contested. It beckons Turkish society and its leaders to confront uncomfortable truths and demonstrates the potential for healing through acknowledgment and apology. As the world watches, the response to Çetin's call will undoubtedly shape the future of Turkish-Armenian relations and Turkey's own reckoning with its past.

https://bnnbreaking....ze-to-armenians






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