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Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations
GROWING TURKISH INFLUENCE IN MIDDLE EAST LEADS TO RESTRICTIONS IN ARMENIAN RIGHTS
Harut Sassounian Publisher
Noyan-Tapan
16/06/10
Turkey's growing influence in the Middle East, even before the naval
confrontation with Israel over Gaza, had prompted some Arab countries
to restrict the political rights of local Armenian communities.
It is feared that the latest Gaza conflict, which catapulted Prime
Minister Erdogan to a heroic stature throughout the Islamic world,
would result in further limitations on Armenian activities deemed to be
"anti-Turkish."
In recent months, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria have taken specific
actions to place some restrictions on the activities of their Armenian
citizens either out of concern for a backlash from Turkey or under
direct pressure from Turkish authorities.
A case in point was the Jordanian government's cancellation of AGBU's
Middle East Young Professionals Forum that was to take place in Amman,
June 3-6. Talin Suciyan, reported in The Armenian Weekly that Jordanian
authorities had expressed reservations for the gathering of 150 young
Armenians from various parts of the world. Suciyan, who was invited
to speak on the "Legacy of Hrant Dink" and the Armenian community in
Turkey, stated that the organizers were informed the night before
that the forum was canceled by orders "from above." Some observers
attributed the cancellation of the AGBU forum to the agreement to set
up a Free Trade Zone, which was to be signed between Jordan, Lebanon,
Syria, and Turkey, on June 10. A commentator pointed out the irony
of Armenian conferences being allowed to take place in Turkey, but
not in Jordan!
Earlier this year, when a Lebanese TV crew was about to enter
Syria to record footage on "the Armenian killing fields" in Der
Zor, border guards refused to admit them, even though they had
secured the necessary filming permits from the Syrian authorities
in advance. This incident took place shortly after CBS aired in its
"60 Minutes" program a segment on the Armenian Genocide. The program
depicted the protruding bones of Armenian Genocide victims from the
desert sands of Der Zor. Turkish officials lodged a complaint with
the Syrian government for allowing CBS to film an "anti-Turkish"
program in their country.
The third incident, unexpectedly, took place in Lebanon, home to one
of the most influential Armenian communities in the Diaspora. In
a surprise move, government officials banned the airing of Eileen
Khatchadourian's music video, "Zartir Vortyag," a genocide era song
calling for resistance against oppression. Even though the song makes
no reference to Turkey, Lebanese authorities were concerned that it
would negatively affect Lebanese-Turkish relations.
These are troubling examples of blatant interference with Armenian
citizens' right to free expression. In all three countries, Armenians
have long enjoyed the most cordial relations with their respective
governments and are viewed by them as loyal citizens. Local Armenian
community leaders must strongly protest such arbitrary violations
of their basic rights as citizens of these countries. They should
consider carrying out a campaign to educate their fellow citizens
about the extensive damage Turkey has caused to Arab interests for
decades, as a close military ally of Israel. Armenians should point out
that, despite Erdogan's blistering anti-Israeli rhetoric, he has not
canceled any of the 16 agreements with Israel, including the exchange
of intelligence, according to Today's Zaman newspaper. Sedat Laciner,
head of Ankara-based International Strategic Research Organization,
told Hurriyet that the military leaders of the two countries had
also signed several secret agreements. According to the Middle
East magazine, the intelligence agencies of Israel and Turkey have
cooperated "since the 1950's in the fight against radical Islamist
groups and Iranian clandestine operations in the region."
Furthermore, Turkey was reported to have allowed Israel "to monitor
Syrian military maneuvers from Turkish soil." In addition, Turkey
awarded .8 billion in military contracts to Israeli companies. The
total trade turnover between the two countries reached .5 billion in
2009. More than 900 large Israeli corporations have been operating
in Turkey and over 1,000 small Israeli exporters have established
commercial ties with it.
Erdogan has cleverly capitalized on the political vacuum created by
the inaction of Arab leaders regarding the plight of the Palestinian
people, thus raising his own as well as his party's political rating in
advance of the September 12 referendum on constitutional amendments,
and next year's crucial parliamentary elections. It is a pity that
Arab leaders have totally abdicated their own responsibility, allowing
an outsider to claim the mantle of Arab leadership! Prior to Prime
Minister Erdogan's scheduled visit to Lebanon next month, where he
might receive an undeserved hero's welcome by some Lebanese, Armenians
must expose his hypocritical show of solidarity with Palestinians,
and convince their fellow citizens that he is acting in his own,
rather than Lebanon's, best interest.
GROWING TURKISH INFLUENCE IN MIDDLE EAST LEADS TO RESTRICTIONS IN ARMENIAN RIGHTS
Harut Sassounian Publisher
Noyan-Tapan
16/06/10
Turkey's growing influence in the Middle East, even before the naval
confrontation with Israel over Gaza, had prompted some Arab countries
to restrict the political rights of local Armenian communities.
It is feared that the latest Gaza conflict, which catapulted Prime
Minister Erdogan to a heroic stature throughout the Islamic world,
would result in further limitations on Armenian activities deemed to be
"anti-Turkish."
In recent months, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria have taken specific
actions to place some restrictions on the activities of their Armenian
citizens either out of concern for a backlash from Turkey or under
direct pressure from Turkish authorities.
A case in point was the Jordanian government's cancellation of AGBU's
Middle East Young Professionals Forum that was to take place in Amman,
June 3-6. Talin Suciyan, reported in The Armenian Weekly that Jordanian
authorities had expressed reservations for the gathering of 150 young
Armenians from various parts of the world. Suciyan, who was invited
to speak on the "Legacy of Hrant Dink" and the Armenian community in
Turkey, stated that the organizers were informed the night before
that the forum was canceled by orders "from above." Some observers
attributed the cancellation of the AGBU forum to the agreement to set
up a Free Trade Zone, which was to be signed between Jordan, Lebanon,
Syria, and Turkey, on June 10. A commentator pointed out the irony
of Armenian conferences being allowed to take place in Turkey, but
not in Jordan!
Earlier this year, when a Lebanese TV crew was about to enter
Syria to record footage on "the Armenian killing fields" in Der
Zor, border guards refused to admit them, even though they had
secured the necessary filming permits from the Syrian authorities
in advance. This incident took place shortly after CBS aired in its
"60 Minutes" program a segment on the Armenian Genocide. The program
depicted the protruding bones of Armenian Genocide victims from the
desert sands of Der Zor. Turkish officials lodged a complaint with
the Syrian government for allowing CBS to film an "anti-Turkish"
program in their country.
The third incident, unexpectedly, took place in Lebanon, home to one
of the most influential Armenian communities in the Diaspora. In
a surprise move, government officials banned the airing of Eileen
Khatchadourian's music video, "Zartir Vortyag," a genocide era song
calling for resistance against oppression. Even though the song makes
no reference to Turkey, Lebanese authorities were concerned that it
would negatively affect Lebanese-Turkish relations.
These are troubling examples of blatant interference with Armenian
citizens' right to free expression. In all three countries, Armenians
have long enjoyed the most cordial relations with their respective
governments and are viewed by them as loyal citizens. Local Armenian
community leaders must strongly protest such arbitrary violations
of their basic rights as citizens of these countries. They should
consider carrying out a campaign to educate their fellow citizens
about the extensive damage Turkey has caused to Arab interests for
decades, as a close military ally of Israel. Armenians should point out
that, despite Erdogan's blistering anti-Israeli rhetoric, he has not
canceled any of the 16 agreements with Israel, including the exchange
of intelligence, according to Today's Zaman newspaper. Sedat Laciner,
head of Ankara-based International Strategic Research Organization,
told Hurriyet that the military leaders of the two countries had
also signed several secret agreements. According to the Middle
East magazine, the intelligence agencies of Israel and Turkey have
cooperated "since the 1950's in the fight against radical Islamist
groups and Iranian clandestine operations in the region."
Furthermore, Turkey was reported to have allowed Israel "to monitor
Syrian military maneuvers from Turkish soil." In addition, Turkey
awarded .8 billion in military contracts to Israeli companies. The
total trade turnover between the two countries reached .5 billion in
2009. More than 900 large Israeli corporations have been operating
in Turkey and over 1,000 small Israeli exporters have established
commercial ties with it.
Erdogan has cleverly capitalized on the political vacuum created by
the inaction of Arab leaders regarding the plight of the Palestinian
people, thus raising his own as well as his party's political rating in
advance of the September 12 referendum on constitutional amendments,
and next year's crucial parliamentary elections. It is a pity that
Arab leaders have totally abdicated their own responsibility, allowing
an outsider to claim the mantle of Arab leadership! Prior to Prime
Minister Erdogan's scheduled visit to Lebanon next month, where he
might receive an undeserved hero's welcome by some Lebanese, Armenians
must expose his hypocritical show of solidarity with Palestinians,
and convince their fellow citizens that he is acting in his own,
rather than Lebanon's, best interest.
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