AZG Armenian Daily #076, 28/04/2005
Armenia-Turkey
PRES. KOCHARIAN’S REPLY RECEIVES DEEP RESONANCE IN TURKEY
On April 13, Turkish press informed that Turkey’s prime minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to RA President Robert Kocharian suggesting “to
establish a joint group consisting of historians and other experts from our
two countries to study the developments and events of 1915”. The same they
Turkish Huriyet newspaper hurried to noise abroad that the Armenian side
turned the offer down, despite the fact that the letter reached Yerevan only
on April 17.
This disinformation aimed apparently at several targets: to picture Armenia
as irreconcilable before the world community, to force Armenia reply the
letter, to oppose the letter to activities directed to Genocide recognition
and to signal the US President to be careful not to say pro-Armenian things
in his traditional speech on occasion of Armenia Genocide on April 24.
On April 26, President Kocharian replied to Erdogan’s letter emphasizing
that “governments are responsible for bilateral relations and we have no
right to authorize historians. Thus we suggest as we did before to establish
normal relations between the two states without preconditions. In this
context there may be set an intergovernmental commission to discuss all
bilateral issues with the aim to solve them and reach mutual understanding”.
Turkish foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, said in his televised appearance
that he is just back from Luxemburg and has not yet received a copy of
Kocharian’s letter but the Foreign Ministry will carefully study it and will
make assessments after which it will be presented to the prime minister and
official announcement will follow. Contrary to Gul, CNN-Turk quoted Foreign
Ministry employees as saying that the text of RA President’s letter was
predictable, by underlining inadmissibility of preconditions the Armenians
want to start a dialogue with us without withdrawing from the Azeri
territories and disowning genocide assertions and territorial claims.
Those statements are possibly non-official statements of official circles
aiming perhaps at checking out Armenian side’s opposition. A non-official
response came from Zaman daily’s Turkish Armenian correspondent Etienne
Mahcupyan who wrote, “Atmosphere in Turkish-Armenian relations has changed
to positive. I think the US has its input in it. Armenia and Turkey are
looking for ways to come closer. This is the period of reconciliation. From
this respect, Armenia’s step is very important. Turkey needs to avoid
unnecessary sensitivity which will turn into an obstacle for it”.
Prof. Mensur Aqgyuz added to Mahcupyan’s words, “This a sign of U-turn in
Turkey-Armenia relations. Henceforth the relations between the two countries
will take the course of improvement. Of course there is the Azeri factor.
Nationalistic circles of Turkey may well show resistance. The government
needs to be cautious and make careful steps. Improvement of Turkish-Armenian
relations will contribute to improvement of our relations with the whole
world. In this case it will be easier for Turkey to explain to the world
that it recognizes the events of 1915 as ‘tragedy’ and not as ‘genocide’. It
will help us to put up with our history”.
Taha Aqyol from Yeni Safaq noted that “Kocharian is using a positive
language not to leave impression of an irreconcilable. It’s not honest.
Honesty supposes that the sides will come closer slinging away worrying
claims and provocations”.
By Hakob Chakrian