Journal of Turkish Weekly
Jan 4 2005

Armenia Armenians and Diaspora Armenians Have Contrary Interests

Jan SOYKOK (JTW), ANKARA, 4 January 2005

Dr. Nilgun Gulcan, political scientist and an expert on Caucasus
politics, told the JTW that Armenians in Armenia and Armenians in the
Diaspora had different and sometimes contrary interests.

Gulcan said `If Turkey accepts Armenian allegations Diaspora
Armenians will benefit from this, but Republic of Armenia will pay
for it.’

Gulcan further continued:

`If Turkey accepts Armenian genocide allegations, Armenian Diaspora
would benefit from this in three ways:

First they expect legal compensation. Even some of the Armenian
diaspora organizations expect billion of dollars from Turkey as
compensation.

Secondly, they expect right of relocation to Eastern towns of Turkey.
However, they did not return to Armenia, and they do not return to
Turkey or any country in the region. They are used to comfortable
Western style life.

The last and the most importantly they use so called `Turkish threat’
as an instrument for their unity and identity in Diaspora. If Turkish
threat vanishes from the Armenian agenda assimilation of Armenian
identity of Armenian diaspora will escalate. If Turkey recognizes
Armenian allegations, Armenian diaspora organizations will radically
deepen their anti-Turkey campaigns. This is an open-ended process,
and no one in Armenian Republic can benefit. Turkey’s possible
recognition of Armenian allegations will not help reconciliation and
will not help Armenian people in Armenia.’

Dr. Nilgun Gulcan argued Republic of Armenia need Turkey and the
Turks while Diaspora Armenians need a Turkish threat:

`Armenia Armenians have different interests. They do not live in
California, New York or Paris. They live in a different geography.
They live in a land-locked country. They do not live with Americans,
French or Italians but mainly with the Turks. There are more than 100
million Turkish peoples around Armenia: Turkey, Azerbaijan and
Iranian Azerbaijan. The Diaspora Armenians can insult Turkish people,
diaspora can sacrifice Turkey’s friendship for the historical
debates, because they do not need Turkey and Turkish friendship. As a
matter of fact that they need a Turkish threat to survive as an
Armenian in a foreign environment. They need a legacy to prevent
assimilation and they created the 1915. It is understandable that two
nations could see the past events in different ways. Armenians could
accuse Turks and Turkish people could accuse Armenians for the
killings of 1915. Turkish historians say more than 500,000 Muslims
were killed by the Armenian armed groups while the Armenian
historians accuse Turks of killing thousands of Armenian civilians.
All these differences could be discussed. Differences between two
sides are quite normal and understandable. However Armenians should
not sacrifice today for the past issues. Armenian politicians should
not make politics over the dead people. Armenian diaspora should not
sacrifice Armenia for their own diaspora interests. Now there is a
very enthusiastic government in Turkey to normalize relations with
Armenia. If Armenia cannot normalize relations with AK Party
Government, it will have no more chance. Armenian politicians hope a
European or American pressure over the Turkish government. All these
options were applied. And both, the EU and the US understand that
Turkey will not open its territorial borders without Armenia takes a
step in occupied territories issue. Moreover Armenia’s `strange’
special relations with Russia disturb the Americans and Europeans.
Armenia’s Russia policy obstructs the West to implement its Caucasian
policies. While Georgia and Azerbaijan develop close relations with
EU, NATO, USA, Israel and Turkey, Republic of Armenia forge its links
with Moscow. Now Russia has monopoly on energy and many other
sectors. Armenia is a sui generic case in its relations with Russia.’

Gulcan said European or American pressure over Turkey did not work
and will not work: `The only way to normalize relations between
Turkey and Armenia is normalization of Armenia-Diaspora relations. If
diaspora manipulations and misdirection end, Turkey and Armenia could
solve their problems in time’ added Gulcan.

Gulcan also argued that there was a Karabakh lobby in Armenia:

`Not only the Western Armenian Diaspora but also the Karabakh
Armenians manipulate Armenian policies. They are Karabakh-obsessed
and cannot see the regional realities. Armenia must think again the
cost of Karabakh occupation. First, Karabakh problem hinders
democratization in Armenia. Hawkish President Kocharian does trust
only those came from Karabakh. Karabakh Armenians are used to
militarize the country. There is a vivid economic catastrophe,
however the Karabakh problem and so-called Turkish threat are used to
curtail all these problems. There is a bitter demography problem.
Armenia’s population is not sufficient for survival of Armenia, and
dramatic migration to abroad continues, but extreme nationalists are
talking about conquering new territories: Karabakh, Naxcivan, Eastern
Turkey, some parts of Georgia and Russia. They are not realistic.
Armenia need population and financial aid, not advise or new
territories. Armenia needs regional friends. Armenia needs to put an
end to historical hostilities, not to create new ones. Armenia needs
a diaspora which sincerely considers Armenia’s interests.’