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PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 - 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 - 10) 52.48.46
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website: www.acnis.am
May 5, 2005
ACNIS Discusses Turkey's Potential Role
in View of Regional Security and Cooperation
Yerevan -- The Armenian Center for National and International Studies
(ACNIS) today convened a specialized policy roundtable on "Turkey:
New Face with a New Role, or New Image with an Old Role?" The meeting
brought together academic circles, policy analysts, media and NGO
communities to view Armenia 's neighborhood policy, geopolitical
developments, and points of reference for possible cooperation and
security in the region in the context of Armenia's changing environment
and national interests. It particularly focused on the new role of
an important actor in the region, Turkey.
ACNIS research coordinator Stiopa Safarian greeted the invited guests
and public participants with opening remarks. "Armenia's relations with
Turkey are complicated and undefined. What can we expect of Turkey,
a country which aspires to be democratic and become a new member
of the European Union: transformation to good behavior or chaos,
understanding of historical sin or new manifestations of constant
denial, threats and security challenges? We expect your active
participation on this and other actual issues," he underlined.
Artak Shakarian, Turkish analyst of the Institute of Oriental
Studies at the National Academy of Sciences, delivered a paper on
"The Pre-Genocidal Processes in Ottoman Turkey: Mass Deportations as a
Means to Oversee the Subject Peoples." He overviewed Ottoman Turkey's
policy toward subject peoples and particularly toward Armenians in
the early period which aimed to their estrangement in and deportation
from their homeland. "The Ottoman rulers' continuous massacres and
predetermined mass deportations of Christian elements reached their
culmination point in 1915," Shakarian said. In his opinion, the Young
Turks took advantage of World War One, resting assured that nobody
would pay attention to the killing of the Armenians and their homeland
in the overall turmoil.
The focal points of Tatevik Manoukian's address were the latest
developments regarding the approaches toward the Armenian Genocide in
Turkey. In the Turkish media the much- referenced courts martial of
the Young Turks, which started in April 1919, were the first attempt to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, though in the aftermath the Kemalist
regime, which later came to power, adopted and pursued a policy of
denial. The young scholar from the same department of the Academy
of Sciences was convinced that Turkey's accession to the European
Union and the active processes toward recognition of the Armenian
Genocide promoted Turkish society's awareness that resulted in some
real assessments in that country. "Nevertheless, the predominant
thinking in Turkey is the following: nothing happened, the Armenians
and the Turks lived in peace for ages. Whatever happened during WWI
was the inevitable consequence of the war. And the new generation is
not responsible for whatever happened," concluded Manoukian.
Haik Demoyan, lecturer of history at Yerevan State University,
reflected on "The Prospects of Armenian-Turkish Relations in the
Context of Turkey's European Integration." At the beginning of the
establishment of Armenian-Turkish relations in the early 1990s,
Turkey applied a militant policy toward Armenia which was followed
by deployment and concentration of forces, considerable military
assistance to a third country, the economic blockade, and so on. In
the historian's vision, Turkey was afraid of the Armenian "tsunami"
even then, as the newly independent Armenia was perceived as a serious
threat in realization of the Armenian cause. "We have provided the
critical minimum which is necessary for the internationalization of
the Armenian Genocide and need now to take new steps of a different
caliber," said Demoyan, adding that one of such measures is the
restoration of Western Armenians to their historical patrimony and
the rebuilding of Armenian churches, culture and other values.
The formal interventions were followed by contributions by Professor
Rouben Safrastian, head of Turkish Department at the Institute
of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences; Yerjanik
Abgarian of "Armat" Center; Emma Begijanian, analyst of Middle East
Affairs; Professor Babken Haroutiunian, chairholder in Armenian
History at Yerevan State University; Rozalia Gabrielian of the
Slavonic University; analyst Aram Ananian of the "Mitk" Analytical
Center; Avetik Ishkhanian of the Armenian Helsinki Committee; ACNIS
analyst Hovsep Khurshudian; Tamar Gevorgian of United Labor Party;
and several others.
Founded in 1994 by Armenia's first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K.
Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors, ACNIS
serves as a link between innovative scholarship and the public policy
challenges facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the post-Soviet
world. It also aspires to be a catalyst for creative, strategic
thinking and a wider understanding of the new global environment. In
2005, the Center focuses primarily on civic education, conflict
resolution, and applied research on critical domestic and foreign
policy issues for the state and the nation.
For further information on the Center or the full graphics of the
poll results, call (37410) 52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46;
e-mail [email protected] or [email protected] or visit www.acnis.am.
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 - 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 - 10) 52.48.46
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website: www.acnis.am
May 5, 2005
ACNIS Discusses Turkey's Potential Role
in View of Regional Security and Cooperation
Yerevan -- The Armenian Center for National and International Studies
(ACNIS) today convened a specialized policy roundtable on "Turkey:
New Face with a New Role, or New Image with an Old Role?" The meeting
brought together academic circles, policy analysts, media and NGO
communities to view Armenia 's neighborhood policy, geopolitical
developments, and points of reference for possible cooperation and
security in the region in the context of Armenia's changing environment
and national interests. It particularly focused on the new role of
an important actor in the region, Turkey.
ACNIS research coordinator Stiopa Safarian greeted the invited guests
and public participants with opening remarks. "Armenia's relations with
Turkey are complicated and undefined. What can we expect of Turkey,
a country which aspires to be democratic and become a new member
of the European Union: transformation to good behavior or chaos,
understanding of historical sin or new manifestations of constant
denial, threats and security challenges? We expect your active
participation on this and other actual issues," he underlined.
Artak Shakarian, Turkish analyst of the Institute of Oriental
Studies at the National Academy of Sciences, delivered a paper on
"The Pre-Genocidal Processes in Ottoman Turkey: Mass Deportations as a
Means to Oversee the Subject Peoples." He overviewed Ottoman Turkey's
policy toward subject peoples and particularly toward Armenians in
the early period which aimed to their estrangement in and deportation
from their homeland. "The Ottoman rulers' continuous massacres and
predetermined mass deportations of Christian elements reached their
culmination point in 1915," Shakarian said. In his opinion, the Young
Turks took advantage of World War One, resting assured that nobody
would pay attention to the killing of the Armenians and their homeland
in the overall turmoil.
The focal points of Tatevik Manoukian's address were the latest
developments regarding the approaches toward the Armenian Genocide in
Turkey. In the Turkish media the much- referenced courts martial of
the Young Turks, which started in April 1919, were the first attempt to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, though in the aftermath the Kemalist
regime, which later came to power, adopted and pursued a policy of
denial. The young scholar from the same department of the Academy
of Sciences was convinced that Turkey's accession to the European
Union and the active processes toward recognition of the Armenian
Genocide promoted Turkish society's awareness that resulted in some
real assessments in that country. "Nevertheless, the predominant
thinking in Turkey is the following: nothing happened, the Armenians
and the Turks lived in peace for ages. Whatever happened during WWI
was the inevitable consequence of the war. And the new generation is
not responsible for whatever happened," concluded Manoukian.
Haik Demoyan, lecturer of history at Yerevan State University,
reflected on "The Prospects of Armenian-Turkish Relations in the
Context of Turkey's European Integration." At the beginning of the
establishment of Armenian-Turkish relations in the early 1990s,
Turkey applied a militant policy toward Armenia which was followed
by deployment and concentration of forces, considerable military
assistance to a third country, the economic blockade, and so on. In
the historian's vision, Turkey was afraid of the Armenian "tsunami"
even then, as the newly independent Armenia was perceived as a serious
threat in realization of the Armenian cause. "We have provided the
critical minimum which is necessary for the internationalization of
the Armenian Genocide and need now to take new steps of a different
caliber," said Demoyan, adding that one of such measures is the
restoration of Western Armenians to their historical patrimony and
the rebuilding of Armenian churches, culture and other values.
The formal interventions were followed by contributions by Professor
Rouben Safrastian, head of Turkish Department at the Institute
of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences; Yerjanik
Abgarian of "Armat" Center; Emma Begijanian, analyst of Middle East
Affairs; Professor Babken Haroutiunian, chairholder in Armenian
History at Yerevan State University; Rozalia Gabrielian of the
Slavonic University; analyst Aram Ananian of the "Mitk" Analytical
Center; Avetik Ishkhanian of the Armenian Helsinki Committee; ACNIS
analyst Hovsep Khurshudian; Tamar Gevorgian of United Labor Party;
and several others.
Founded in 1994 by Armenia's first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K.
Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors, ACNIS
serves as a link between innovative scholarship and the public policy
challenges facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the post-Soviet
world. It also aspires to be a catalyst for creative, strategic
thinking and a wider understanding of the new global environment. In
2005, the Center focuses primarily on civic education, conflict
resolution, and applied research on critical domestic and foreign
policy issues for the state and the nation.
For further information on the Center or the full graphics of the
poll results, call (37410) 52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46;
e-mail [email protected] or [email protected] or visit www.acnis.am.