Armenians Review Thorny Genocide Issue

Angus Reid Global Scan, Canada
May 2 2005

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Many adults in Armenia believe more should
be done to settle pending questions about the deaths of thousands of
countrymen, according to a poll by the Armenian Center for National
and International Studies. 32.1 per cent of respondents believe all
Armenians should play a role in the resolution of issue, while 31.2
per cent believe all humanity should become involved.

Relations between Armenia and Turkey are still tense due to
historical factors. In 1915, the government of the Ottoman
Empire-formed by members of the Turkish nationalist Committee of
Union and Progress (ITC)-ordered hundreds of thousands of Armenians
to relocate from the Caucasus to Mesopotamia.

The state-sponsored deportation campaign led to a high number of
Armenian fatalities, estimated at anywhere from 200,000 to 1.8
million. While some scholars believe the campaign was a deliberate
attempt to exterminate Armenians, Turkey has never formally accepted
the use of the term “genocide” to describe the event.

On Mar. 9, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an
impartial investigation of Armenian claims, saying, “We do not want
future generations to live under the shadow of continued hatred and
resentment.” 57.5 per cent of Armenian respondents believe the United
States and the European Union (EU) should exert stronger pressure on
Turkey to acknowledge the genocide.

Polling Data

Who should play the main role in the resolution of the Armenian
genocide issue?

All Armenians
32.1%

All humanity
31.2%

World powers
13.1%

International organizations
8.6%

Republic of Armenia
8.0%

Diaspora
1.7%

Heirs of the victims of the genocide
1.5%

No one
0.1%

Other
0.1%

Difficult to answer
3.6%

Do you think Turkey will recognize the genocide in the next five to
ten years?

It is possible if the United States and the European
Union exert stronger pressure on Turkey
57.5%

It is possible if the international efforts of Armenia
and the Diaspora for recognition are activated
15.4%

It is not possible
12.8%

Other
0.3%

Difficult to answer
14.0%

Source: Armenian Center for National and International Studies
(ACNIS)
Methodology: Interviews with 1,900 Armenian adults, conducted in
April 2005. No margin of error was provided.