ARMENIANS WON'T GIVE UP GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS

Hurriyet Daily News
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=arme nians-won8217t-give-up-genocide-allegations-2009-1 0-13
Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The attendance of Armenian President Sarkisian at the World Cup
qualifier is very crucial, no matter what anyone says. If he didn't
come, the protocol signed in Zurich would have been hurt. One would
have concluded that while the first step has been taken there is no
operability and the Armenians reject it. We could say that such a
development would be a great paradox and that Sarkisian torpedoed
the process all we want, but be sure the process would have been
torpedoed after all.

The Armenian president has taken an extremely brave step and signals
to continue these steps. Sarkisian will be remembered by historians
as the "Owner of the Golden Signature."

Within these developments we need to touch on Azerbaijan's situation
as well.

Baku needs to be content with recent events and especially with what
happened in Zurich. For, Ankara did not dispose of the Azerbaijani. It
was very careful about those who turned this into a crisis, and about
statements after the protocol was signed. It kept its word.

Now let's look at and argue about what will happen next.

We would only fool ourselves if we expect the Armenian society or
Armenian diaspora to give up and never mention genocide allegations
right after the signing of the protocol.

We would also do the Armenians injustice.

"Genocide" is not something the Armenians would give up easily. The
genocide belief is sacred for these people, we may accept or deny
it, but this belief is deep-seated, passed on from generation to
generation, and penetrates them deeply.

The Turkish society denies genocide. It does not use this word. I
do deny it but I also share the pain of those Armenians who lost
their lives in these events. I deny the deeds of the confederation
in 1915-1916.

And the Armenians need to restrain from evaluating each Turk according
t t he uses the word "genocide." What's important is whether or not
the pain is shared.

But from now on it's hard to use genocide

The Armenians won't give up genocide allegations or their belief but
it will be more difficult on an international platform to use the
genocide factor against Turkey for sanctioning purposes.

For example, it will be very difficult for Armenian representatives
to go before the U.S. Congress or French Senate and ask for pressure
on Turkey regarding genocide and the acceptance thereof. And it will
become impossible for them to go before parliaments of countries that
have committed genocide themselves and ask for Ankara's punishment.

Despite everything, we should know that real peace with Armenia will
not be easy. We are about to enter a long process.

Unless Azerbaijan and Armenia do not reach any progress in the Karabakh
issue it will be very difficult to put this protocol into practice and
open borders. And alike we won't get rid of genocide allegations. But
no matter what happens to the Zurich protocol, it will still provide
some relaxation for those who want the two countries to come closer
to each other.

Let's value this process that has come before the two countries and
let's neither rush it by exaggerating nor set hard-to-reach goals.

READER COMMENTS

Guest - Random Armenian (2009-10-14 07:42:31) :

Dear Mehmet, "... penetrates them deeply." Yes because it is part
of our family histories, not some stories about Turks doing bad
things to your Armenian brethren over yonder. Most diasporans you
can talk to will have stories of survival and origins in familiar
cities like Erzurum, Sivas and Bitlis. This is a collective memory and
understanding and not some misjudgement based on hatred. The pain came
first before the enmity. It happened to my family and I can't avoid
it even if I wanted to. "And the Armenians need to restrain from
evaluating each Turk according to whether or not he uses the word
"genocide."" That's only fair given that most Turks do not fully an
be blamed on the Turkish government for trying to bury the past and
instilling deep nationalism in schools. Dialogue has been missing
for decades. And there needs to be sincere and open dialog. Easy to
say but it's going to be hard to do.

Guest - harmar (2009-10-14 01:18:36) :

Dear Mr. Ahmet Ali Birand After reading your analysis, one feels that
Genocide has been committed and all efforts have been put to work to
deny it. Good try!

Guest - Raffi (2009-10-14 00:30:31) :

Armenians can be confident that what they "think" is true, because
they have not lived under the strict censorship that the note below
this comment box refers to. They have been driven to the four corners
of the world by the Ottoman leaders, and the have been kept out by
their successors. Now, to simply be able to cross the Arax river,
Armenians have had to submit to the humiliation of sitting with Turks
to "discuss" what happened. As if the Jews would ever agree to such a
thing with Germany. The internet is a very liberating tool. Instead of
celebrating that Turkey has managed to delay U.S. recognition of the
genocide for a couple of more years, go and learn about that which
you still deny in this article. Be the change that Turkey needs,
so that you will not be embarrassed one day when your grandchildren
ask you about these times...