Turkish Press Shuffles Armenian Genocide

[Siamanto]

TURKISH PRESS TO PERSIST IN SHUFFLING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

 

Azg/arm

11 Nov 04

 

Armenian budget project of 2005 became a hot subject for Turkish and

Azeri printed media that keeps on confusing the world community by

stating that Armenia is removing the Armenian genocide issue from

its foreign policy agenda.

 

Sticking to their methods of disorientation Turkish newspapers do

not even shrink from mentioning names of Diaspora Armenians.

 

November 9 issue of Aksham presents Gyuler Qyumurjuâ~@~Ys article

titled "Making Better Relations with Armeniaâ~@¦". The author

writes about "Islam and West", a scientific conference organized

by Israelâ~@~Ys Jewish University in Nice, France, on November

6-7. Former state minister of Turkey Kemal Dervish was also to

participate at the conference. "Starting with the former leader of

Mossad and ending with Washingtonâ~@~Ys know-all Richard Pearl were

present there", article reads.

 

Dervish changed his mind about participating at the conference at

the last moment. Author goes on telling about his meeting with

Alexy Gyovdjian and Samson Ozararat at the conference. Before

mentioning of the meeting Qyumurju writes about "historic step

taken in difficult relations with Armenia" and then adds: "After the

adherent of mild policy, Ter-Petrosian, President Robert Kocharian,

though maintaining tight relations with National Revolutionary Party

and Armenian organizations and lobbies of the world, took a positive

step towards Turkey. Armeniaâ~@~Ys state budget bill of 2005 already

taken to the parliament did not assign money for promoting genocide

acknowledgement as opposed to previous years. Only few weeks back

Armenian authorities stated that genocide acknowledgement is not a

precondition for improving relations with Turkey".

 

The second part of the article dwelling on Gyovdjian and Ozararat

reads: "While the Armenian government excludes genocide recognition

from priority list depriving it of money in 2005 budget, Armenian

lobbyists in France were putting on clothing of radicalism.

 

I talked to Alexy Gyovdjian (he was our citizen, comes from Istanbul

where he lived till 18-years-old) who led French-Armenians in their

hanker after recognition of April 24. Despite this fact, his comments

on Yerevanâ~@~Ys mild policy were approving.

 

Mr. Gyovdjian was also present at our talk with Samson Ozararat. In

90s he had meetings with Alparsan Tyurkesh, late president of National

Movement Party, within the frameworks of meetings directed to settle

Armenia and Turkey-related issues. The name of Mr. Samson is well-known

to those occupying high posts in State Planning Organization and

Sabaja Group. Ozararat firmly stands for Tyurkeshâ~@~Ys position

of â~@~Xovercoming genocide claims and beginning trade cooperation

between the two statesâ~@~Y and is willing that Turkey begins

diplomatic relations with Armenia. Right at that moment Gyovdjian

noted that he joins Ozararat for the sake of constructive policy and

is even ready to participate in the initiatives taken by Turkeyâ~@~Ys

organizations of civil society.

 

Back in Ankara the â~@~Xexpertâ~@~Y in the issue told me that we

are waiting for a positive response. Why are we slow in adjusting

Tyurkeshâ~@~Ys ideas to the present-day conditions and in modernizing

our approaches? Perhaps everything will become clear after 17 of

December".

 

By Hakob Chakrian

 

--Boundary_(ID_UK1drQI2yDVrLkmPmossRw)--

 

 

http://groong.usc.edu/news/msg96785.html

[Siamanto]

NO SHIFT IN ARMENIA'S POLICY FOR GENOCIDE RECOGNITION, MF SPOKESMAN SAYS

 

ArmenPress

Nov 9 2004

 

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: A spokesman for Armenian foreign

ministry said Armenia's policy for international recognition of the

1915 genocide has not changed and remains one of its foreign policy

priorities. His comment came in response to Azeri and Turkish media

reports that Yerevan may be considering a shift in its policy to help

normalization of ties with Turkey. The reports claimed the shift may

be indicated by lack of a regular reference to the genocide in next

year's draft budget sent to parliament for approval.

 

The spokesman, Hamlet Gasparian, told Armenpress that the draft budget

has no relation to Armenia's consistency and decisiveness to continue

the campaign for international recognition of the genocide. (By the

way, no previous budget has ever had a special clause earmarking

such expenditures).

 

"The international recognition of the Armenian genocide does not refer

to Armenia or Armenians alone, it refers to the entire humanity and

it cannot be placed within a budget or other financial calculations,"

Gasparian said.

 

http://groong.usc.edu/news/msg96746.html