Turkey in Genocide Dispute with NATO Allies

[Tongue]

By Amberin Zaman
Ankara
11 May 2006



Turkey has pulled out of a NATO military exercise in Canada and is considering sanctions against France for supporting Armenians who want the mass slaughter of their kin by Ottoman-Turk forces during and after World War I recognized as genocide.



Members of Turkey's Workers' Party hold banners reading 'The genocide lie is an American game'
A senior Turkish foreign ministry official confirmed Turkey would not be participating in an air force training exercise in Canada. Turkey's withdrawal is the latest in a series of moves aimed at conveying Ankara's anger over Canadian policy.

Turkey recalled its ambassador last week after Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper, characterized the mass slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks as genocide.

Mr. Harper's comments came as the French parliament prepares to debate a bill that would criminalize denial of the Armenian genocide and the Jewish Holocaust following World War II.

Critics of the bill, which was introduced by the Socialist bloc, say it is calculated to win votes from France's Armenian community in elections scheduled for next year. The French move has broader ramifications as France is one of the most powerful members of the European Union, which Turkey hopes to join.

Turkey has always denied that a genocide took place, but there are mounting calls from within the European Union to change its policy of denial as a condition for membership. Many Turks see such pressure as further evidence that the European Union does not want a poor Muslim country within its ranks.

But despite the Ankara government's tough rhetoric, including veiled threats of economic sanctions against France, public debate on the fate of the Ottoman Armenians is growing in Turkey. Some prominent Turkish academics have gone as far as to say that the mass killings did amount to genocide.

But even these intellectuals say they are opposed to France's efforts to criminalize denial of the Armenian genocide. They argue that such laws can only help to vindicate similar laws in Turkey that penalize Turks who dare to utter the word genocide in discussions of the fate of the Armenians after World War I.

[Gavur]

What else is new?

ANAVATAN's Özdogan fights fire with fire

TDN
Saturday, May 13, 2006

Deputy submits proposal to punish those who back Armenian genocide
claims

ANKARA - TDN Parliament Bureau

Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) Erzurum deputy Ä°brahim Özdogan has
submitted a proposal to Parliament demanding that those who support
claims of a genocide allegedly committed on Armenians in the days of
the Ottoman Empire be punished with a prison term of between one and
three years.

The proposal recommended imprisonment for all who support the Armenian
claims in their statements, articles, photos or cartoons and that the
sentence be increased by half if the crime is committed by the media.

According to Özdogan's proposal, those who benefit financially by
making such claims should face a jail term of between three to five
years.

-----------
Copyright 2006, Turkish Daily News. This article is redistributed with
permission for personal use of Groong readers. No part of this article
may be reproduced, further distributed or archived without the prior
permission of the publisher. Contact Turkish Daily News Online at

[Hovik]

NATO asks Turkey to open its air space in case of war with Iran

NATO asks Turkey to open its air space in case of war with Iran

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NATO requested Turkey to open its air space in case of war with Iran, reports CNN-Turk without furnishing any information on Turkey’s response. Some media rates possibility of a positive answer as unlikely, since Turkey and Iran have been successfully developing relations recently. In part, Foreign Minister Gul said his state “is not afraid of export of Islamic revolution,” reports RFE/RL.

[Hovik]

For those who think as a NATO ally U.S. shouldn't recognize AG

For those who think as a NATO ally U.S. shouldn't recognize AG

List of NATO countries: (those that recognized AG in Bold)

Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States

[Joseph]

For those who think as a NATO ally U.S. shouldn't recognize AG

List of NATO countries: (those that recognized AG in Bold)

Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States

Denmark will be next. If the US indeed reconizes the genocide, the UK may follow suit. Bulgaria will eventually, even with its large Turkish minority.

[Joseph]

Maybe Turkey will eventually leave NATO

[1.5 million]

Maybe Turkey will eventually leave NATO

I think that this is not the ideal wish or correct thinking.

Ultimatly the purpose of (as close to as possible) universal recognition of the Armenian Genocide is to create an environment where Turkey is pressured to do the same - and this act (which is truly [directly] meaningful - unlike 3rd party recognition) - apart from being one that is an important first step for Armenians (and Turks) being able to confront the plethora of issues that denial prevents - and to allow Armenians to properly mourne their dead and loss (and ultimatly forgive and move on) - is that in getting Turkey to recognize reality - and acknowledge and accept (the negativity, destructiveness and unacceptability of) the hyper-nationalism (and the reality of the criminal behjavior that it spawned) - that brought about the Genocide and that continues as a factor in Turkish culture/society - is that this will (ultimatly) result in a transformation of the Turks (as a people) into a group that is acceptably human and who can be accepted by other (more) evolved/modern societies. Thus we don't want (to witness) regression. We don't want to "lose" the Turks - who are on the cusp of being decent and worthwhile as a people. And we certainly don't wan't them driven into the pre-enlightenment (narrow, draconian and judgemental) Muslim Theocratic fold. Ultimatly we want Turkey and Turks to be (decent and worthwhile) particpants in the modern community of nations. Armenian Genocide recognition - is an absolutly necessary first step for this process to begin - as only through confrontation with the truth of their past - and how it has made them what they are today and continues to influence them (negatively) in so many ways - can a self-reasssement on their part be possible and is the only way that false history and the structure of lies they have built for themselves be shed. It is something that we want to see. Don't you think? I know Armenians have (rightly and understandably) hardened their hearts to the Turks - and the reasons go beyond just the Genocide - but certainly culminate in it - but the Turks are not in fact whom we think they are. Much of what they are is us - or certainly somewhat close - an agglomeration of peoples/ethnicities. And the Turks themselves were victims of the forces that preyed upon and destroyed the Armenians as well. (Internal and external to the Empire) etc. Until their is a comming clean (by the Turkish powers that be - to us and to their own people) in regards to the Armenian Genocide none of this additional discovery (and healing and growth) is possible.

[Gavur]

This is of course is peacetime talk,lets not forget that we are in a (cold) war with the Turks!

[Gavur]

And if I may add when in war we don't always get to do the ideal scenario as much as prevent what woud be not acceptable to us.

[1.5 million]

This is of course is peacetime talk,lets not forget that we are in a (cold) war with the Turks!

Of course - but what is the ultimate issue of contention?