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Turks Create False Impressions
To Block Obama's Promises
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Turkish officials are in a mad rush. Informed by Washington insiders that
President-elect Barack Obama intends to carry out his promises to Armenians, the
Turkish government is anxious to conclude an agreement with Armenia in order
to block the incoming administration and/or Congress from taking a stand onthe
Armenian Genocide.
For years, Ankara repeatedly rejected Yerevan's offers to normalize relations
without preconditions. Hoping that Armenia would buckle under intense
economic pressure, Turks placed strict demands for lifting the blockade and
establishing diplomatic relations. Armenia had to refrain from efforts for genocide
recognition, accept Turkey's territorial integrity, and relinquish Artsakh
(Karabagh) to Azerbaijan.
A few months ago, the two sides appeared to have reached an arrangement
whereby Pres. Serzh Sargsyan would agree to Turkey's request to form a joint study
group on the Armenian Genocide, as part of a larger inter-governmental
commission that would deal with a host of bilateral issues, on condition that Turkey
would first establish diplomatic relations and opens its border with Armenia.
Soon after, Pres. Abdullah Gul made an unprecedented trip to Yerevan at the
Armenian President's invitation to watch a soccer match between the national
teams of the two countries. Both leaders received high praise and encouragement
from the international community for their "football diplomacy."
Relations between the two countries seemed to be on the mend, until Turkey's
leaders, misjudging Pres. Sargsyan's eagerness to have the Turkish border
opened, demanded additional and unacceptable concessions from Armenia. Theyasked
that Armenians initially withdraw from a small area on the periphery of
Artsakh and announce the formation of the study group on the genocide priorto the
convening of the wider inter-governmental commission.
In making these demands, the Turkish leaders were trying to accomplish two
contradictory objectives. On the one hand, they were pressuring Armenia into
making as many concessions as possible. On the other hand, they desperatelywant
to reach a quick agreement with Yerevan before Pres. Obama enters the White
House next month.
When Armenia rejected Turks' excessive demands, Turkish authorities decided
to switch tactics and attempt a more effective approach: Create the impression
in Washington that Armenians and Turks are making good progress in resolving
their differences, even though in reality they are not!
To implement this new policy, Ankara persisted in placing a positive spin on
all official contacts with Armenia. For example, Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian's trip to Istanbul on November 24, to chair the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) conference, was repeatedly mischaracterized by the Turkish side
as a visit to discuss with Foreign Minister Ali Babajan the improvement of
relations with Armenia.
Also, Turkish officials and media have been repeating ad nauseam that
Armenia's President would be visiting Turkey shortly, thus giving the false
impression that the two sides are about to resolve their differences. In reality, Pres.
Sargsyan is not expected to go to Istanbul until October 2009, when the
Armenian and Turkish national soccer teams meet again.
Yet another falsehood spread by the Turkish media, for the sole purpose of
manipulating American and international public opinion, is that Armenia has
accepted to participate in a joint study group on the Armenian Genocide, even
after Pres. Sargsyan's announcement that such a commission was "absolutely
unnecessary." Armenia's President expressed his concern that such a study would
actually "mislead" the international community.
In another diversionary tactic, Turkish authorities announced last week that
they are considering the accreditation to Armenia of their current Ambassador
to Georgia, who would continue to be stationed in Tbilisi. This is a clever
attempt to claim that Turkey has taken a major step in establishing diplomatic
relations with Armenia! Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines announced last week that it
is planning to start charter flights to Armenia -- another attempt at
creating a false impression of the ostensibly improving Armenian-Turkish relations.
In support of their government's propaganda, Turkish newspapers have been
publishing interviews with Armenians and Turks who are engaged in a varietyof
joint cultural and business activities and predicting that Armenia would have a
thriving economy once the border with Turkey is opened. The Turkish press does
not interview, however, Armenians who demand justice for the crimes committed
by the Ottoman Turkish government during the Genocide.
It is regrettable that certain Armenian individuals, driven by their narrow
self-interest, have made statements to the Turkish media that help reinforce
the false impression that Armenians and Turks are getting along perfectly well,
and outsiders like the United States should not take any initiatives that
would ruin this budding friendship!
The fact of the matter is that Armenians worldwide will continue to view
Turkey with deep misgivings as long as the Turkish government pursues its morally
bankrupt policy of making demands rather than amends.
To Block Obama's Promises
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Turkish officials are in a mad rush. Informed by Washington insiders that
President-elect Barack Obama intends to carry out his promises to Armenians, the
Turkish government is anxious to conclude an agreement with Armenia in order
to block the incoming administration and/or Congress from taking a stand onthe
Armenian Genocide.
For years, Ankara repeatedly rejected Yerevan's offers to normalize relations
without preconditions. Hoping that Armenia would buckle under intense
economic pressure, Turks placed strict demands for lifting the blockade and
establishing diplomatic relations. Armenia had to refrain from efforts for genocide
recognition, accept Turkey's territorial integrity, and relinquish Artsakh
(Karabagh) to Azerbaijan.
A few months ago, the two sides appeared to have reached an arrangement
whereby Pres. Serzh Sargsyan would agree to Turkey's request to form a joint study
group on the Armenian Genocide, as part of a larger inter-governmental
commission that would deal with a host of bilateral issues, on condition that Turkey
would first establish diplomatic relations and opens its border with Armenia.
Soon after, Pres. Abdullah Gul made an unprecedented trip to Yerevan at the
Armenian President's invitation to watch a soccer match between the national
teams of the two countries. Both leaders received high praise and encouragement
from the international community for their "football diplomacy."
Relations between the two countries seemed to be on the mend, until Turkey's
leaders, misjudging Pres. Sargsyan's eagerness to have the Turkish border
opened, demanded additional and unacceptable concessions from Armenia. Theyasked
that Armenians initially withdraw from a small area on the periphery of
Artsakh and announce the formation of the study group on the genocide priorto the
convening of the wider inter-governmental commission.
In making these demands, the Turkish leaders were trying to accomplish two
contradictory objectives. On the one hand, they were pressuring Armenia into
making as many concessions as possible. On the other hand, they desperatelywant
to reach a quick agreement with Yerevan before Pres. Obama enters the White
House next month.
When Armenia rejected Turks' excessive demands, Turkish authorities decided
to switch tactics and attempt a more effective approach: Create the impression
in Washington that Armenians and Turks are making good progress in resolving
their differences, even though in reality they are not!
To implement this new policy, Ankara persisted in placing a positive spin on
all official contacts with Armenia. For example, Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian's trip to Istanbul on November 24, to chair the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) conference, was repeatedly mischaracterized by the Turkish side
as a visit to discuss with Foreign Minister Ali Babajan the improvement of
relations with Armenia.
Also, Turkish officials and media have been repeating ad nauseam that
Armenia's President would be visiting Turkey shortly, thus giving the false
impression that the two sides are about to resolve their differences. In reality, Pres.
Sargsyan is not expected to go to Istanbul until October 2009, when the
Armenian and Turkish national soccer teams meet again.
Yet another falsehood spread by the Turkish media, for the sole purpose of
manipulating American and international public opinion, is that Armenia has
accepted to participate in a joint study group on the Armenian Genocide, even
after Pres. Sargsyan's announcement that such a commission was "absolutely
unnecessary." Armenia's President expressed his concern that such a study would
actually "mislead" the international community.
In another diversionary tactic, Turkish authorities announced last week that
they are considering the accreditation to Armenia of their current Ambassador
to Georgia, who would continue to be stationed in Tbilisi. This is a clever
attempt to claim that Turkey has taken a major step in establishing diplomatic
relations with Armenia! Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines announced last week that it
is planning to start charter flights to Armenia -- another attempt at
creating a false impression of the ostensibly improving Armenian-Turkish relations.
In support of their government's propaganda, Turkish newspapers have been
publishing interviews with Armenians and Turks who are engaged in a varietyof
joint cultural and business activities and predicting that Armenia would have a
thriving economy once the border with Turkey is opened. The Turkish press does
not interview, however, Armenians who demand justice for the crimes committed
by the Ottoman Turkish government during the Genocide.
It is regrettable that certain Armenian individuals, driven by their narrow
self-interest, have made statements to the Turkish media that help reinforce
the false impression that Armenians and Turks are getting along perfectly well,
and outsiders like the United States should not take any initiatives that
would ruin this budding friendship!
The fact of the matter is that Armenians worldwide will continue to view
Turkey with deep misgivings as long as the Turkish government pursues its morally
bankrupt policy of making demands rather than amends.