yergatuni1

Recognizing the genocide under reconcilliation between Armenia and the turks is a suspect idea. How do you recognize the genocide properly under reconcilliation? Genocide is a very serious crime, like I said before, it carries heavy compensation with it. A whole nation and its people was destroyed and erased from the Armenian Plateau. I'm afraid that if the Armenians and turks were reconciled then the Genocide would be acknowledged but the Armenians would be coerced into accepting an apology and little else (maybe they would get Ani as a symbolic show - that's it). In effect the Genocide recognition would be watered down. I just don't see the turks giving any compensation under a reconciled atmosphere. They have to be forced to give compensation, just like the Germans were forced to pay for what they did to the jews. If all we want is an apology and open borders then maybe your idea has merit....

hosank: we shall see if you are right. however, it is certain that these talks between Armenia and the turks have damaged our efforts to get Genocide recognition...no one should underestimate official genocide recognition, it has huge consequences for the region; all of the turks political leverage will go out the window, they will be forced to make significant concessions (and rightfully so).

what has Armenia achieved since opening dialogue with the turks? stalling, indirect threats, the defeat of the Genocide recognition? (for now at least, this was our best chance and we unwittingly gave cover for Obama to back out of his pledge) yes all these....they are also trying to get the Armenians to recognize the Kars Treaty and agree to a historical commission, all for the sake of trade which may cause more problems with Armenia rather then help.... - Instead, corruption should be cleaned up in Armenia and a railway should be opened to Iran - a much safer trading partner (right now we don't have a sufficient railway system with Iran. - Also the Kars treaty is illegal and recognizing it would nullify Wilsonian Armenia and make the Genocide recognition insignificant. And don't forget there is no Statute of Limitations on the crime of Genocide. it seems the turks know better then we do whats at stake if the Genocide is officially recognized.... Bottom line is nothing good has happened since we began talking with the turks, they are also still making demands with their Azeri bretheren about Artsakh....

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 40 thousand Armenians live in Turkey at present, Turkish Prime Minister said. "They came to our country because they had difficulties in Armenia. If necessary, we will exile them, but I think it will be inhuman," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Warsaw. He also said that regional problems affect Turkish-Armenian relations. "There are problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia and we can't neglect these," he said, Milliyet reported. If this isn't enough of a sign for our Armenian leaders to break off negotiations with these mutants and mongols I don't know what is.

I agree with what you say, but only if this can be achieved without being pushed to drop the genocide issue (and our territorial rights). Perhaps if we concentrate on the plans you outline and keep the genocide issue separate we might get somewhere. In the meantime the genocide should be remembered in a dignified and unified manner at tsitsernagaberd, rallies in front of the turkish consolates prayers and vigils. Effectively fostering relations and carrying our burden should be able to be able to be done con-currently

You can't count on Iranian gas helping Armenia to that extent, As long as Iran is opposed to Israel's existence they're will never be peace between the US (and the West) and Iran. That shouldn't be forgotten. Also, This 'historian talk on the Genocide is complete BS', nobody has a right to leave facts concerning what our relatives went through (most of whom we never met) to historians to debate, that's a sellout. Armenia and Artsakh should continue to be supported but the genocide should never be used as a barganing tool - by anyone..

I agree with the above, we should be going to the international courts with the Sevres Treaty, but it should be tied with the Genocide, they go hand in hand, the turks will say they have the kars treay so we would need all the strength we can get, I've also thought about why no Armenian concerted efforts go this route, lack of Armenian unity? Armenians should be direct, recovery of Armenian territory is the real issue behind the genocide recognition...there really is nothing else however, the other issue is even if we succeeded, who would enforce the restoration of our territories? A new pro-islamic militant turk government would come in and render the ruling void...

Obama might be a friend of Armenians but he like the rest of the US government are waiting to see what becomes of the Armenian-turkish road-map. The turks say a 'commission' on the Genocide is in the works and the Armenian government has not said anything to the contrary. this will torpedo our efforts if it does happen, it makes our work here in the US that much harder to get recognition (almost impossible), so right now alot depends on what the Armenian governnment does, recognition doesn't depend on Obama that much at this point.....

Also, if he didn't recognize the genocide on April 24th, our most solemn day, do you think he will recognize it if it comes to the floor, with 'negotiations' under way between Armenia and the turks?, showing dissapointment does put pressure on Obama although I doubt it will help. I think you should pray for some intelligence from the Armenian government at this point....

Only official acknowledgment of the evensts as Genocide has legal and real political implications. The rest of these references as 'terrible events' 'massacres' or 'calamities' even statements of Obama's 'personal opinions and feelings' don't matter. It just means the debate will go on without end. This allows the turks to just drag this out. What Obama is doing is leaving it to the turks and armenians to work it out. And the bad part about that is the Armenians have little leverage in dealing with the turks without official recognition. I don't agree with you, Obama said plainly he would recognize the Genocide, the ANCA has a right to show dissapointment...

Obama seems to be another opportunist, his idealism seems to only serve his own interests, so it looks like we can't rely on him. However, we can never give up on striving to have the AG recognized. We'll keep on pressing for it, no matter who comes up to be president in the future. when we give up, then we've lost. As a side note, I don't know what the 'bleep' our brilliant leaders in hayastan are doing, they think they can have normal relations with the turks without AG recognition - this is a fools hope.