Former Ambassador Sukru Elekdag writes on the
need for information to be made available to Turkish society on the subject of
the so-called genocide. A summary of his column is as follows: "Thousands
of reports and commentaries have been published on the so-called 'Armenian
Genocide' Resolution presented to the US House of Representatives and withdrawn
as a result of President Bill Clinton's
efforts. Understandably there are many points occupying the minds of the
readers. A general evaluation of the issue will shed light on the situation, if
not answer all questions. House Resolution 596 consists of three parts. The
first part states that the resolution is concerned with expressing the US
stance on the so-called Armenian Genocide. The second part states the findings
forming the basis of the accusations. The third part calls for the US President
to act. For those not closely involved with the issue, the findings stated in
the second part can seem impressive. However, the documents put forth as
evidence in the resolution are either forgeries, distortions of fact or simply
fictitious. For example, the resolution, in proving the so-called genocide
claims, states that following the World War I, high ranking officials of the
Ottoman Empire were tried and convicted in military courts of planning and
executing massacres against the Armenian population. However, these expressions
are a distortion of facts... The Government referred to is the Freedom and
Accord, formed in place of the Union and Progress Party. The courts of this
puppet government falsely accused persons wanted by Britain with fictitious
crimes. The nature of these courts are mentioned in British archives. In the
resolution reference is made to reports by the US Amsassador to the Ottoman
court, Henry Morgenthau, which state the Young Turks engaged in a policy of
terminating the Armenian race. However, US historian Heath Lowry has proven
through his research that Morgenthau's sources were drawn only from radical
Armenians. Furthermore, the resolution makes no mention of US Ambassador
Admiral Bristol's reports (Morgenthau's successor) ,which prove false his
predecessor's claims."
06.12.2000
The Turco-Armenian Business Council Co-Chairmen are trying
to improve relations between Turkey and Armenia. Arsen Gazaryan said, "I
came to Turkey to put our relations in order. We should begin a dialogue. I brought goodwill messages from the
Armenian President and the Foreign Minister. Turkey should not take the
Armenian Diaspora into consideration and, we should not let
third countries interfere in our affairs. We are tired of these claims and want
to live peacefully with Turkey." In response to the following question,
"why did Armenia remain silent when the so-called genocide drafts were
brought forth?", Mr. Gazaryan said, "Armenia is hungry. Radicals in
the Diaspora send money to the hungry people in Armenia. There are 3.5 million
Armenians living in Armenia in contrast to 6.5 million people in Diaspora.
Armenia is a very poor country. People of the Diaspora do not like us to speak
favorably about Turkey. They would stop sending money." /Hurriyet/
The Armenian lobby is worried that a pro-Turkish representative
from Nebraska, Doug Bereuter, may become the Chairman of the House of
Representatives International Affairs Committee. If he becomes the chairman,
Bereuter is reportedly planning to abolish the International Relations and
Human Rights Sub-committee which played a key role in pushing the Armenian bill
ahead in Congress. Issuing a statement, the American National Committee for
Armenians (ANCA) called on the Armenian society in the US to lobby to save the
committee. /Turkiye/
12.12.2000
Under the leadership of Lord Evebury, a small group of
Armenians gathered at the House of Lords building to promote a propoganda book
which includes the so-called Armenian genocide claims. The group criticized the
British government for rejecting the inclusion of Armenians into the list of
groups which had suffered genocide at the Commemoration Day of World Genocide
Victims. /Sabah/
13.12.2000
The so-called Armenian genocide bill, already approved in
the French Senate, was brought into the agenda of the French National Assembly.
The bill will be discussed in the Assembly on January 18 and, if approved, will
become law. The Union Group of Democracy in France brought the bill, including
the statement "France clearly recognizes the 1915 Armenian
genocide.", to the Bureau Assembly. /Sabah/
Carey Cavanaugh, Minsk Group Co-Chairmen of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), stated Turkey could help
Azerbaijan and Armenia solve the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. The Minsk Group
including American, Russian and French representatives, met with President Haydar
Aliyev yesterday in Baku. Emphasizing Turkey's important role in the region,
Cavanaugh said Turkish firms could help the economic development of the region
in case a solution to the problem is found. He added that bilateral relations
between Turkey and Armenia would also improve if the Nagorno Karabakhproblem is
solved. Meanwhile President Aliyev said, "Azerbaijan believes certain
Western countries distort facts in their policies against Turkey. Azerbaijan
always emphasizes that it opposes those policies." Referring to
allegations of the so-called Armenian genocide, Mr. Aliyev said, "These
attempts do not help aid in finding a solution in the region. Furthermore, they
themselves constitute an obstacle to a solution." /Cumhuriyet/
14.12.2000
Chairman of the Armenian Parliament Foreign Affairs
Commission, Ovanes Ovanisyan said Armenia oppose any Turkish intervention in a
solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Asserting that Turkey cannot be
impartial, Ovanisyan said, "For this reason, Turkey cannot play a positive
role in a solution to the problem." In contrast, the American Co-Chairman
of the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)'s Minsk
Group, Carey Cavanaugh, said yesterday in Baku that Turkey could help solve the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue. /Turkiye/
Columnist Hasan Pulur comments on the recent developments in
foreign affairs. A summary of his column is as follows: "There may be some
who are not disturbed by the Council of Europe’s proposal that Turkey should
both accept the so-called Armenian Genocide and apologize. Others may not
oppose accepting Greek proposals concerning Cyprus and the Aegean issues to
ensure Turkey's admittance into the EU. Some may not even be offended by the
attack on Foreign Minister Ismail Cem during his address to Council of Europe's
official meeting. Then again, there may be people who are not hurt by the EU's
official acceptance of the PKK terrorist organization as a legal entity. Some
may even be pleased to see that the city of Florence, Italy, is preparing to
embrace the chief of the terrorist organization as an honorary citizen. Certain
people may not utter a sound when the Prime Minister of the country is shadowed
in the EU Famiy Photo as if to say he should not be seen among the Prime
Ministers of other countries. Others may not find it embarrassing to hear
words, which mean that Turkey, at the doorstep of the EU, must wait until 2010
for admittance. Some may find all this to be acceptable, considering them to be
within the scope of 'democracy and human rights' issues. However, there are
others in this country who find it hard to accept all of this easily. They know
what PKK demands for peace mean. They believe the PKK aims to have citizens of
Kurdish descent be defined as a nation, and expressed in the Constitution as
such. They believe requests for strengthening local administrations is only a
guise for building autonomous regions. They think the most encouraging
prospects for the PKK will be seen during the process of entering the EU.
Slogans such as ethnic identity, education and broadcasting in mother tongue,
are used as convincing techniques to clear the path to their goal. They also do
not believe in the saying "nothing can be achieved through violence,"
as its achievements can clearly be seen. In short, some may accept these
conditions without flinching and that it is their problem. However, there are
others who think otherwise in the country, and they have to see this fact.
Those defending democracy cannot impose a solution or run away from the
facts."
15.12.2000
Columnist Ertugrul Ozkok comments on the continuing of the
hunger strikes in the prisons. A summary of his column is as follows: "One
of the mediators trying to end the hunger strikes said a branch of the
terrorist organisation outside the prison was pressuring the hunger strikers to
continue. Leaders outside the prison want the inmates to continue their hunger
strikes until the die. The demands of the leaders were disseminated e-mails
coming from members of the organization who are not jailed. Those outside the
prison hold a stronger line than those are inside. I am well aware of this
'Diaspora psychology'. I was still a student in Paris during the aftermath of
the March 12th memorandum, I witnessed how those escaping from Turkey held
fiery and harsh discussions, leaving no if, and's or but's undiscussed. It is
the easiest way to cleanse one's conscience in 'Diaspora'. If those left in the
country express harsh views, you were harsher. If they were crying loudly, you
shouted at the top of your lungs. We are witnessing the same kind of behavior
in the Armenian diaspora. Armenians who settled in France and America and are
well to do, yet express more fanatical views than those in Armenia, and are
more militant. Otherwise, how can they explain why they are still living there
to those back in Armenia. They must have an answer to the question 'why they
are enjoying life while the Armenian citizens are fighting against cold, famine
and poverty in the country?'. This answer must be convincing in the least. If
you cannot give a satisfactory answer, then you shout even louder.
Unfortunately, military interventions have created a Turkish and Kurdish
Diaspora. Some migrated voluntarily to different countries under political
guises. No one exiled them or declared them 'illegal'. These people, who are
self-exiled, are left in a difficult situation as Turkey is now moving along
the path to democratization. They will try to find reasons to stay where they
are, even if Turkey becomes the most democratic country in the world. The
Diaspora makes a lot of noise, and so, everyone believes they are supported by
the public opinion. This mistaken impression is playing with the lives of the
prisoners. The mediator mentioned above says those in prison believe they have
the support of public opinion. In fact, the general public looks at these
incidents just as it viewed the IBDA-C and Nuris affairs. As there was no
Diaspora, there was not much noise. However, politicization of the affair does
not legalize the affair in the public eye. The killing of two policemen,
following a demonstration by the police, has created a tense atmosphere. Those
wanting the state to exert its authority are strengthened by these
developments. This psychology is dangerous. Therefore, I request the mediators
not to give the hunger strikers the impression that the public is supporting
them. The psychology makes reaching a solution harder. The terrorist
organization is in Diaspora. However, we are in Turkey. "
19.12.2000
The Armenian lobby, which did not get the so-called genocide
bill passed in the US House of Representatives during its previous term has
prepared another plan to bring the genocide claim before the House next term.
3,000 Armenians in the US claim their grandfathers were massacred in Anatolia
in 1915. They are preparing to request a law be passed so they can demand
compensation from American insurance companies. Chairman of Atlanta
Turkish-American Association, Vural Cengiz, uncovered the secret plan of the
Armenians. Upon learning about this initiative, Cengiz came to Turkey and met
with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and said, "Let us not be late this
time". Meanwhile, Ecevit instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to
closely follow the initiative. The counter lobby activity will start. /Sabah/
21.12.2000
The Armenian lobby in the United States has acted quickly
and asked President-elect George W. Bush to officially recognize the so-called
Armenian genocide. The Chairman of the Armenian National Council (ANCA) in the
United States, Aram Hamparian, sent a letter to Bush on behalf of the Armenian
community reportedly congratulating him on his election and asking for his
support in the recognition of the so-called genocide. During the presidential
campaign both the Democratic candidate Vice President Al Gore and Republican
candidate Texas Governor George W. Bush made statements that pleased Armenians.
/Turkish Daily News/
03.01.2001
Various institutions formed mostly by Germans of Armenian
origin put forward a motion to the Petition Commission for the recognition of
so-called Armenian genocide at the Federal Assembly. Reportedly, however the
Petition Commission, chaired by Heidemarie Luth, a representative of the PDS,
was not in favor of presenting a motion to the Federal Assembly regarding the
petition. An SPD parliamentarian who wanted to be anonymous said, "The
Federal Assembly is not the place to discuss Armenian genocide allegations. It
is the duty of historians. We, social democrats, do not believe the subject
will be brought to the Federal Assembly floor." /Hurriyet/
04.01.2001
Turkey expects to have an active foreign policy this year.
Ankara is continuing initiatives to prevent claims concerning the so-called
Armenian genocide from being brought to the agenda in the new administration of
the US. During the weekly press conference, Deputy Spokesman of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Huseyin Dirioz evaluated the news that the Armenian lobby in
the US will resume its initiatives to bring the so-called Armenian genocide on
the agenda. Dirioz said, "We are continuing our initiatives on the issue.
Relations between Turkey and the US are improving day by day and we expect this
positive development to continue." Ankara will have intensive foreign
policy contacts in January. Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Jiaxuan Tang
will arrive in Turkey this weekend and then the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of
Poland and Hungary will visit Ankara. Meanwhile, Turkish Minister of Foreign
Affairs Ismail Cem will visit the Islamic countries in January. Cem will visit
Sudan on 9 January. He is also expected to visit Libya and Pakistan. /Cumhuriyet/
05.01.2001
Former CIA Turkey Chief, Paul Henze, was interviewed by
Orbis magazine. He said Turkey's relations with the Caucasian states developed
in particular after the disintegration of the Soviet Union due to the
importance placed upon these relations by former presidents Turgut Ozal and
Suleyman Demirel. Henze said Turks and Armenians did not have negative
relations until 1960, but later, the Armenian Diaspora provoked hatred against
Turkey. Moscow also helped the Armenians within the Union to destabilize Turkey
and gave covert support to the Armenian terrorist organization ASALA. Henze
said Armenia would benefit the most from a normalization of relations with
Turkey. Henze said he regards Turkey as a model for Caucasian people and
states. He said Turkey would build strong relations with the regional states,
when the construction of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline is completed. /Hurriyet/
08.01.2001
Allegations of the so-called Armenian genocide was brought
to the agenda again in France through the efforts of the Armenian lobby. The
bill on the so-called Armenian genocide will be discussed in the Foreign Relations
Commission on Wednesday, and is expected to be discussed in the Assembly's
Plenary Session January 18, 2001. Stating the Armenian lobby has been somewhat
successful in their attempts, specialist at the Eurasian Strategic Research
Center (ASAM), retired Ambassador Omer Engin Lutem said, "The bill might
be approved in the French Assembly. The French government has not tried to
prevent its passage." /Cumhuriyet/
09.01.2001
Group deputy chairmen of the political parties met yesterday
to discuss the bill on the so-called Armenian genocide currently under
discussion in the French Assembly. It was agreed the TGNA Plenary Session
should prepare a declaration on the issue and the text was drawn up. The contents
are expected to be announced to the public in the Plenary Session today. /Star/
A delegation from the Turkish Grand National Assembly went
to Paris to prevent the passage of a bill on the so-called Armenian Genocide.
The bill will be voted in the French National Assembly approval in the French
Senate. Bulent Akarcali from the Motherland Party, Tayyibe Gulek from the
Democratic Left Party, Nevzat Yalcintas from the Virtue Party, Huseyin Celik
from the True Path Party and Huseyin Cerrahoglu from the Nationalist Action
Party were a part of the delegation. The bill will be discussed in the Foreign
Relations Committee of the French National Assembly on January 10 and be put to
vote after discussion in the plenary council. /Milliyet/
10.01.2001
Inonu University and Baskent University have prepared
statement on the so-called Armenian genocide bill to be discussed January 18,
2001 in the French Senate. The statement, prepared by Inonu University, said
the bill on the so-called Armenian genocide would be detrimental to
international relations, distorted historical facts, and was unjust and untrue.
The Senate placed blame on the supporters of the Armenian bill. /Cumhuriyet/
Turkey is planning to renew its agreement in March with the
Livingston-Solomon-Solarz lobyying group which successfully defended Turkey
last year when the so-called Armenian genocide bill was being dicussed in the
US House of Representatives. The agreement is expected to be extended for
one-year.
/Aksam/
Columnist Mumtaz Soysal writes on the bill regarding the
so-called Armenian Genocide before the France National Assembly. A summary of
his column is as follows: "Professor Bernard Lewis, well known in Turkish
academic circles was fined as a result of a law-suit in Paris for an article he
wrote on the so-called Armenian Genocide. The renowned historian was accused of
belittling the importance and intentions behind the Armenian massacres, even
though he accepted them in fact, and therefore not taking into consideration
the common claims of international organizations. It is not difficult to
estimate the severity of such a conviction and its silencing effect on an
academician. French laws passed in 1981 and 1990 make it a crime to discuss
viewpoints of the genocide which are contrary to the International Nuremberg
Court decisions. When the Paris court sentenced Professor Lewis, it regarded
the German Holocaust and the Armenian Massacres as similar, as if they were
also proven in fact by the Nuremberg court. Such a decision means French
academic circles cannot express views in favour of Turks concerning the
incidents of in 1915. Therefore, a bill regarding the so-called Armenian
genocide should not be taken lightly. It poses a grave danger. One cannot just say history
will remain unchanged by the acceptance of a bill in the French National
Assembly. It is a symbolic act directed at French citizens of Armenian origin.
Even if you say it has no importance, there will be others who will claim that
while the bill was being processed, neither the Government opposed it, nor the
rights of Turkey were sought in a court of law. Therefore, even though it lacks
legal authority it may lead to legal results. This mentality, which fined
Professor Lewis, would hamper the efforts of those attempting to discover the
facts of the 'Armenian massacres'. It is not hard to guess what will happen throughout
the world with France leading in such a case. However, the France of Descartes,
Pascal, Voltaire and Braudel, is known as the country of ideological and
scientific freedom in Turkey, not the place where doubts in the minds of the
people are quelled by laws with political aims. Nowhere in the world have
parties and politicians with local election calculations rewritten history; it
should not happen in France. In fact, does it become the great French state to
stand by and a relatively unknown history be used for local political gains?
During the first years of the Republic, Turkey did not turn its recent past
with France, such as the division of Iraq and Syria after the Sykes-Picot
Agreement, the occupation of Cilicia, Antep and Maras by Armenians in French
uniforms, into hatred through enacting
laws, but managed to turn it into
Turco-French friendship with the signing of Ankara Agreement in 1921.
Certainly, Paris will not find ways to bring Ankara and Yerevan together, by
looking at the distant past with the near-sightedness of a small
politician."
11.01.2001
The French Assembly's Foreign Relations Commission approved
the so-called Armenian genocide bill. The French Assembly will discuss the bill
in its Plenary Session on January 18. A delegation consisting of Turkish
parliamentarians are in Paris to prevent the approval of the bill. They warn
that approval of the bill by the French Assembly will seriously harm
Turco-French relations. /Hurriyet/
Turkey is in search of a new policy in order to normalize
its relations with Armenia amid the moves to recognize the so-called Armenian
genocide in various parliaments around the world. A report presented by the
Turkish Foreign Ministry and submitted to the government, states normalization
of relations between Turkey and Armenia would be beneficial in preventing
similar activities by the Armenian diaspora. The issue of Nagorno-Karabakh has
also been a focal point. Diplomatic sources said the dispute over the region
should be resolved. /All papers/
Columnist Hasan Cemal writes about the bill on the French
National Assembly agenda concerning the so-called Armenian Genocide. A summary
of his column is as follows: "It seems impossible to believe, but it will
become a crime to deny the genocide. The bill has been accepted by the Foreign
Relations Committee of the Assembly. It will now be debated in the plenary
session. In the words of Prof. Soysal, 'France is known as the country of
Descartes, Pascal, Voltaire and Braudel,
advocating freedom of thought and scientific expression, not a country
where doubts in the minds of people are silenced by laws passed with political
aims. History has never been rewritten by politicans and parties concerned over
local elections. Why should this be the case in France?' The bill also violates
the French Constitution. All reasonable French jurists are of the same opinion.
When this law passes, no one in France will be able to deny the Armenian
Genocide. Even though a person may not agree, he cannot express his ideas in a
newspaper or a magazine. What is more, he cannot conduct academic research on the
issue. If he discusses or researches the subject, he will violate the law and
commit a crime. Where is the freedom of expression, where is the freedom of
academic thought and research, and where is democracy? It seems none of these
issues concern the French politicians. They are only concerned with votes.
There is nothing they would not do for the sake of a few votes. It seems they
would even sell freedom and democracy to increase their tally. What else does
it mean when a law is enacted which says it is a crime to deny the genocide of
the Armenians. The French National Assembly which said history was not their
concern when the Algerian problem was in question, (where they saw fit to treat
Algerians inhumanly during the 1950s), are attempting to rewrite history and
even judge past events when a few votes are at stake. It sees no harm in
creating new animosities from past events. The French politicians are on the
verge of humiliating France with an action not easily corrected. Furthermore,
they are in a state of unwariness. The French National Assembly and French
politicians are not aware they are playing with fire. As they are using history
as political material, they are sowing the seeds of new animosities between
Turks and Armenians and Turkey and Armenia. The correct path to follow is to
leave history to historians. There is no other way. Time is still needed to
heal the wounds in the minds of Armenian and Turkish societies inflicted by the
great tragedies suffered by the war almost a century ago. Therefore, it is
necessary to initiate relations between the peoples of Turkey and Armenia while
searching for historical facts, discussing them and thinking them over. Turkey
has to take some immediate steps regarding these issues. Ankara should not be
occupied with the trial of history, but open up methods of research, and
establish 'Turco-Armenian joint platforms' in the academic arena to this end.
What is required to normalize relations with Armenia should take their place in
Ankara's program. We cannot go anywhere by storming at France or French
politicians. Let us have them see the mistake they are making, while taking
steps necessary so our history is no longer a problem for us by taking Turkey's
high interests into consideration."
12.01.2001
Approval of the so-called Armenian genocide bill in the
French Assembly Foreign Affairs Commission will deal a blow to Turco-French
relations. Reportedly, the bill is expected to pass as French Parliamentarians
are concerned about public opinion and
the loss of their seats in Parliament. Chairman of the Ankara Trade Chamber,
Sinan Aygun, said France will be the side who loses the most. Recalling
Turkey's boycott on Italian goods, Mr. Aygun said, "If the bill passes in
the French Assembly, Turkey should review its trade relations with this
country. French goods must be boycotted." He pointed out that there were
more than 200 French firms in Turkey and Turkey's imports from France totalled
$2.897 billion in the first ten months of 2000. /Turkiye/
Reactions to the French Assembly's Commission of Foreign
Affairs acceptance of the so-called Armenian genocide continue. Deputy Chairman
of the Executive Board of Turkish Association of Industrialists and Businessmen
(TUSIAD), Mustafa Koc, said, "It is necessary to solve the problem of the
so-called Armenian genocide completely and thus, not create a burden for the
future generation. The issue should be investigated objectively.” Meanwhile,
the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) delegation is in Paris currently to
prevent the bill's passage. It will be voted upon next week at the General
Council Session in France. The delegation met with the Chairman of the
Assembly's Chairman of the Commission of Foreign Affairs. The delegation expressed
the Turkish public’s uneasiness concerning the so-called Armenian genocide bill
and pointed out that acceptance of the bill would damage the mutual relations
between Ankara and Paris. /Cumhuriyet/
Commander of the Armed Forces Academy, Brigadier General
Halil Simsek, said groups are attempting to divide Turkey under the guise of
cultural rights, education in their own language, etc. for Turkish people with
Kurdish origin, who were among the founders and form a main part of this
country. Addressing the symposium titled, "Return to the Security
Understanding of the Post Cold War", Gen. Simsek said the EU wants to turn
the Western Europe into a fortress with the European Security and Defense Identity
(ESDI). Stressing the fortress would not be formed only for defense, but also
for possible attacks, he emphasized inclusion of Turkey in the ESDI was of a
vital importance. Talking about the threats against Turkey, Gen. Simsek said
Russian's nuclear threat continues. He also pointed out the threats stemmed
from the Greek and Armenian issues, and the threats coming from Syria, Iran and
Iraq's support for terrorism and long range missiles. /Turkiye/
15.01.2001
Azerbaijani Cultural Association and Turkish World Culture
and Human Rights Association's members placed a black wreath in front of the
French Consulate in Izmir to protest discussion of the so-called Armenian
genocide bill in the French Assembly. Stressing they would not accept any
decision against the Turkish Nation by the French Assembly, the members said,
"The ones who condemn Turkey for the so-called Armenian genocide, should
look first to the Armenian genocide carried out in Anatolia yesterday and in
Azerbaijan today. The decisions do not affect the Republic of Turkey. The loser
will be the Armenians, living in Armenia, and the Armenian State. /Turkiye/
The Office of the Chief of the General Staff presented
historical documents and events to the public on its web-site negating
allegations of the so-called Armenian genocide. The web-site covers important
questions about the relationship between Armenians and the Ottoman Empire. The
web site states the allegations of the so-called Armenian genocide are totaly
untrue and are only built on Armenian hostility towards Turkey without any
historical evidence. /Cumhuriyet/
The Armenian Patriarch in Turkey, Mesrop Mutafyan, discussed
his unease about the acceptance of the so-called Armenian genocide bill at the
Foreign Affairs Commission of the French national assembly. Mr. Mutafyan said,
"Turkey and Armenia must solve their mutual problems through dialogue. We
will support this dialogue." He said some people in the West wanted to use
this issue to their favor, and he was not happy about this. /Milliyet/
"The Turkish public knows French intentions in
occupying Cukurova at the end of World War 1 were to colonialize the region.
What is not known by the majority, is that France used Armenian gangs and
Armenian troops in French uniforms to engage in a violent ethnic cleansing
rarely witnessed throughout history. The cruelty, torture and massacre directed
against Turks,is a black spot in French history. With the French National
Assembly trying to pass a law stating that Turks committed crimes of genocide
against the Armenians, it is necessary to shed light on these dark pages of
history. The first action by the French while occupying Cukurova was to appoint
an administrator titled 'Syrian and Armenian High Commissioner', and to bring
the Legion d'Orient, made up of close to ten thousand Armenians trained in
Egypt, to the region. Then, the French began implementing a plan to convert the
population balance in favor of Armenians in the hope of establishing an
Armenian Republic. As a first step, it called on Armenians in Diaspora, and
those who were relocated, to come to Cukurova. It was followed by an ethnic
cleansing aimed at forcing the Turks out of Cukurova. At first, the Armenian
occupying forces burning with hatred, played an important role in these
actions. Furthermore, the French, by arming the Armenian population, gave
them carte blanche to raid Turkish
villages and kill the peasants. Planned massacres against Turks took place
within this atmosphere, and torture and rape were widely seen. France has been
both an accomplice to this violence and the main responsible party. The US High
Commissioner in Istanbul, Admiral Bristol, in a report he sent to Washington,
said, 'French and Armenian troops destroyed Turkish villages and massacred the
people.'(Laurence Evans, United States Policy and Partition of Turkey, p.259)
In the end, the French were defeated by the national resistance movement, and
withdrew from Anatolia, leaving the traces of violent massacres, and abandoning
Armenians to their fate. The French politicians who forget this embarrassment
are trying to rewrite history by enacting laws at a time when French Prime
Minister Lionel Jospin rejected a proposal to investigate the French massacres
in Algeria, saying they should leave the judgement on the issue to the
historians."
16.01.2001
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sent a letter to French
president Jacques Chirac concerning the latest Armenian attempts to pass a
so-called genocide bill. Mr. Sezer demanded that Mr. Chirac prevent the bill
from being approved in the French National Assembly. According to diplomatic
sources, Prime Minster Bulent Ecevit, Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA)
Speaker Omer Izgi and TGNA Foreign Relations Chairman Kumran Inan also sent a
letter to French officials stating that approval of the bill would seriously
damage bilateral relations between Turkey and France. /Cumhuriyet/
The French daily 'Le Figaro' did its best to create an
obstacle for the Turkish Association in France. The Association wanted to
publish an announcement against the so-called Armenian genocide bill up for
vote on 18 January at the French Assembly's General Council. The Association
applied to the 'Le Figaro' daily through an advertisements company last week. /Sabah/
Yesterday French Embassy First Secretary Francois Naucodie,
visited the young deputies in the TGNA, saying the so-called Armenian Genocide
bill was expected to adopted by the French National Assembly. He expressed the
regrets of the French Government. During his talks with the deputies, Naucodie
stated the French Goverment was in favor of leaving the Armenian question to
the historians and added, "Local elections will be held in France in March
and the Armenian lobby is strong in France. The French Government, who favors
leaving the question for the historians to research, and the deputies are not
working in concert." /Milliyet/
17.01.2001
A French businessman of Turkish origin, Umit Sen defended
Turkey in France against the so-called Armenian genocide bill. Sen sent a
14-page report on the so-called Armenian genocide, expressing historical facts
and proving the Armenians claims wrong. Sen mentioned France’s past genocides
in his report and asked, "Why does France not pass a law on the Algerian
mass-murder between 1954-1962?" /Hurriyet/
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit warned France about the
negative consequences stemming from the possible approval of the so-called
Armenian genocide bill. Ecevit said, "Turkey will not be responsible for
the results that will seriously damage bilateral relations between the two
countries. " Addressing France, Ecevit said, "Don't let our relations
be damaged." /Hurriyet/
While visiting Armenia, NATO Secretary General George
Robertson told Foreign Minister Vradan Oskanyan that Turkey's policies toward
Armenia were not aggressive but constructive. Robertson said, "NATO cannot
be a mediator to solve the problems between Armenia and Turkey. There are
necessary platforms for you to discuss the problems and improve relations. I
know Turkey well. I can guarantee Turkey does not have any aggressive policy regarding
Armenia." /Hurriyet/
The 'So-Called Armenian Genocide Resolution' is on the
agenda of Maryland's (US) House of the Representatives. Officials from the
Assembly of the Turkish-American Associations (ATAA) based in Washington have
reportedly rolled up their sleeves to work against the approval of the bill. /Turkiye/
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the expected adoption of the
so-called Armenian Genocide law by the French National Assembly. A summary of
his column is as follows: "It is almost certain that tomorrow the French
National Assembly will approve a bill officially recognizing the 1915 Armenian
genocide. Turkish officials in Ankara seem to expect this result. It is widely
accepted that recent messages conveyed to Paris will not change the situation.
Thus France, knowing full well Turkey's sensitivity on the issue, will have
passed a law, (not a resolution) recognizing the claims of Armenians on the
so-called genocide. A grave mistake has been made by the French Government's
lack of opposition to such a trend in parliament. In fact, its passive stance
encourages the adoption of such a law. It would be highly irrational to expect
the Jospin Government, which until now, has not shown any will to prevent the
bill, to apply to the Constitutional Court for a cancellation. France will have
to live under the shadow of this law. There are many reasons for France to take
this path. Among the main factors are the intense campaigns by the strong
Armenian lobby in France just before elections, the re-election concerns of
some parliamentarians, and the public's prejudice regarding Turkey. We have to
add that some French genuinely believe Armenians were subjected to genocide in
1915 and, as the daily "Le Monde' recently wrote, consider it a civic duty
to bring the facts into the open. However, all these reasons do not give the
French National Assembly the right to accept Armenian claims as truth and brand
Turkey as a criminal...Unfortunately, Turkey does not have the opportunity to
render the bill ineffective, the bill will go into force under the approving
silence of the French Government. Opposition to this law will be considered a
crime, a violation of law. The parliaments of other countries, who are
preparing to adopt similar decisions, will use France as an example. In short,
Turkey will be faced with great troubles on the issue... It is apparent that
Turkey is to blame for letting the matter develop into the present situation.
Ankara did not do what it needed in a timely manner. One of the Turkish
deputies, Bulent Akarcali, in France to lobby on the issue, said delegations
should have been sent to enlighten the French on the issue long before. Various
Turkish institutions should have acted. Universities such as Galatasaray should
have worked on the subject. Turkish businessmen and historians, all should have
worked together...The Government should have launched initiatives energetically
in the French National Assembly, as it did when a similar resolution came to
floor of the US House of Representatives floor. As Akarcali has said, if
Turkey's agenda is filled with local news, such incidents occur and the
Government must decide how to react to the French decision. There is a
catalogue covering various sanctions. Turkey can take economic measures,
exclude French firms from entering tenders, and reduce imports from France or,
can withdraw its Ambassador to Paris for a time. However, it must consider that
every measure can bring a counter measure or lead to reactions which may be
detrimental to Turkey. In the words of Turkish officials, if the steps taken
are not carefully calculated, Turkey may be faced with a more dangerous
situation than the decision of the French National Assembly."
Columnist Ozdemir Ince writes on the impending discussion of
the so-called Armenian genocide by the French National Assembly. A summary of
his column is as follows: "The Great French writer Emile Zola said 'I
accuse' while defending Alfred Dreyfus, a French soldier of Jewish origin, who
was subjected to injustice. I also rebel against injustice and accuse: France
is sabotaging international peace, exploiting history and provoking
animosities. The French National Assembly Foreign Relations Committee has
accepted the bill on the so-called Armenian genocide. At the January 10
meeting, a majority of the political group representatives adopted a stance in
favor of the acceptance of the bill. This bill will be debated in the plenary
session of the French National Assembly on 18 January. If it is adopted, the
sentence, 'France recognizes the genocide Armenians were subjected to' will
become the official view of the French people who know what national honor
means. Vote hunting, simple-minded and inconscientious politicians, while
attacking Turkey's honor, are, in fact, damaging French honor. These ignorant,
and ambitious politicians are damaging my belief in democracy. The consequences
mean a democracy can change facts and rewrite history, as it wants by counting
fingers. Those humiliating democracy may lose their status as representatives
at the end of this term. However, if there are 60 just members among them who dare
to apply to the Constitutional Court for cancellation of the bill, French honor
can be saved. How can a country like France, who has not faced her own history
and be found innocent, act in such an impudent manner? Is it because she is
strong? Only 40-50 years ago France committed a genocide in Algeria as goes the
accepted accounts of the French generals. France left their issue to be judged
by the historians, but is expecting Turkey to be judged by French vote-hunters.
France who dressed Armenians in French uniforms in Adana, Mersin, Urfa, Hatay
and Gaziantep and left Turks to be massacred by the Legion made up of
Armenians, is trying to judge Turkey. As stated in the book of Luke,
"Judge not, lest ye be judged".
18.01.2001
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit warned France for the last time
concerning the so-called Armenian genocide bill up for vote in the French
National Assembly today. Ecevit summoned the French Ambassador to Ankara,
Bernard Garcia, to his office and warned him that if the bill passes relations
between the two countries would be in serious crisis. Ecevit wanted Ambassador
Garcia to relay this warning to the President and Prime Minister of France.
While the Armenian bill is expected to pass, relations between France and Turkey
are also expected to reach a critical stage. A high-ranking official from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Turkey was doing its best to prevent the bills
passage and they had given a list of all political, military, commercial,
economic and cultural sanctions, which can be carried out, to the government.
In the list there are some measures such as postponing planned visits;
decreasing mutual contacts to a minimum; delaying cultural projects; excluding
France, mostly Paris, from military biddings; and applying a covered embargo to
France. /Milliyet/
The Patriarch of Turkish Armenians, Mesrob Mutafyan, stated
(concerning the so-called Armenian genocide allegations) the headache was still
continuing and that Turkey and Armenia should set up direct contacts and solve
the problem. He added if direct contacts were not achieved, third parties would
become involved and misuse the issue. He noted his readiness to give spiritual
support for the establishment of dialogue between the two countries. /Aksam/
18:01:2001
If the French Parliament passes the Armenian genocide bill on Jan. 18, they will have dealt a blow to our relations that will take years to heal. After applying for full membership of the then European Community in 1987, the now late Turgut Ozal had wanted to make France the "locomotive" pulling Turkey's train towards EC membership. Certain measures were taken and soon yielded results and France became the leading foreign investor in Turkey. Prime Minister Chirac came to Turkey. He and Ozal became close friends.
All
the same, the scale of relations were not enough to turn France into a "locomotive", but
France did support our candidacy.
When
France was holding the duty presidency of the EU and Greece wanted to include Cyprus and the Aegean issues as prerequisites in the Accession Partnership
Document (APD). Turkey resisted this
but France got them both to agree to a suitable formula.
However,
the very same day that the APD was published, December 8, the French Senate accepted an Armenian
genocide bill. At the time, this
procedure was not enough to turn the bill into a law and this kept the tension down for a while. Now, if the
lower house accepts and passes this
bill, we will find ourselves on the
point of no return.
Why
is France doing this?
The
first reason that springs to mind is that French politicians want to win the Armenian vote in the
forthcoming elections. But this is not
a reason worth risking damaging relations with Turkey.
Being
a country of high moral standing, France is trying to give the impression it has come to a definite
decision regarding the alleged genocide
of Armenians some 85 years ago and that it is
determined to do what is right despite all the reaction and pressures being applied by Turkey. The
French Parliament has forgotten the
torture carried out by the French army in Algeria some 40 years ago and prefers to leave this to the
historians. However, the same parliament
seems to have a definite idea about
what happened in a distant country where it fought forty years prior to the incidents in Algeria, so
definite that it does not feel the need
to leave this issue to the historians.
I
wonder then if France is not beginning to regret the matter of Turkey's EU membership and is thus using the
Armenian genocide bill to dissuade us
from candidacy? Foreign Minister Vedrine said
that Turkey's EU membership process was "frozen"after the
Helsinki Summit. This odd declaration
starts us feeling that candidacy status
was only given to us to console us following the disappointment we felt after the Luxembourg Summit. It's as if we are still candidates for candidacy.
There
are other signs adding weight to this suspicion. The document issued at the end of the Intergovernmental Conference
in Nice and which adjusted EU
institutions to match the enlargement
project determined the positions they would hold in these institutions and their voting weight once
they became full members. In contrast
to this, Turkey's membership
will not even be considered until 2010.
In reply to our questions, it was noted
that we had not been included in the calculations because our accession talks had not even begun. It is as
if they are implying our accession
talks will not even start before 2010.
Furthermore,
the annual figure for aid allocated to Turkey in order to prepare us for accession is just one tenth that
allocated for Poland. Obviously, our
candidacy period is supposed to be
longer than necessary. Were this not the case, we have been given the same amount of funding as the other
candidate countries in order to get us
ready for membership.
If
Turkey's accession to the EU is to be put off to beyond 2010, then the dates put forward for resolving the
Cyprus problem (2002) and getting the
Aegean issue taken to the ICJ at The Hague (2004) will be far too early. Nor will there be any urgency to get
the National Program drawn up.
A
meeting that took place in an conference hall belonging to the French Senate last December heard a French expert
say that Turkey was dependent on the
United States in terms of security and defense
and the same was true for arms purchases. He said that Turkey was behind even Canada when it came to similar
relations with the EU or France. He
maintained that we had overreacted over the ESDI issue.
French
diplomats have enough experience to know that while the EU is not yet a geo-strategic power, that it
would be nonsense for Turkey, being in
the middle of an extremely volatile region, to
relax its security and defense relations with the United States.
Looking
at it this way, what would France serve to gain by passing the Armenian genocide bill? (Turkish Daily News)
24.01.2001
The
legislative body of an important Western country has passed a resolution recognizing for the first time that
Turks committed genocide against
Armenians. There is a strong chance
this will not stop there. It could be said that the Armenians are at last winning their cases.
One of the reasons for this situation arising is that almost all those who researched the Armenian incidents and wrote them up are historians. Genocide is a category of crime. Yet, most historians know nothing of the law. A significant proportion of them are inclined to classify any incident in which an important number of civilians died as genocide. Especially those historians