ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT:
George Shirinian
DATE: May 9, 2005
Tel: 416-250-9807
Zoryan Institute Writes to Turkish Prime Minister on Turkish-Armenian
Dialogue
Toronto, Canada – Against the background of the 90th anniversary of the 1915
Armenian Genocide, there has been a flood of activity and articles about the
Genocide and its impact on Turkish-Armenian relations today. Recently, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey wrote to Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan with the suggestion of the two countries forming a joint
commission of historians and other experts to study the “events of 1915,” as
a prelude to normalizing relations. This suggestion has drawn the attention
of such interested parties as Germany and the United States.
President Kocharyan responded that other countries on the European
continent, which have disputes are still able to have open borders and
diplomatic relations. He argued that it is the responsibility of governments
to develop bilateral relations and it is not right to delegate that
responsibility to historians. He proposed that the two countries establish
normal relations and open border with one another, with no preconditions.
The Zoryan Institute, which supports all earnest efforts to promote
Turkish-Armenian dialogue, and was engaged four years ago in a failed
attempt at establishing a historians’ commission on this subject, has issued
a public letter to Prime Minister Erdogan. The letter suggests that instead
of waiting for a historians’ commission to be created, which is long,
arduous and complex process, there are simple confidence-building steps that
could be taken now, to bridge the divide between the two civil societies.
Attached is the full text of the letter, signed by Professor Roger W. Smith,
Chairman of the Zoryan Institute’s Academic Board of Directors.
The Zoryan Institute is the first non-profit, international center devoted
to the research and documentation of contemporary issues related to Armenian
social, political and cultural life. To this end, the Institute conducts
multidisciplinary research, publication, and educational programs dealing
with Armenia, the Armenian Genocide, and Diaspora, within a universal
context.
ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: [email protected]
May 9, 2005
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Ankara
Turkey
Fax: + 90 312 417 0476
[email protected]
Dear Prime Minister Erdogan:
A few weeks ago, Your Excellency wrote to Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan, proposing a joint group, consisting of historians and other
experts, to study “the events of 1915.” The purpose of this initiative would
be to “shed light on a disputed period of history and also constitute a step
towards contributing to the normalization of relations between” Turkey and
Armenia.
We would like you to know that a similar proposal was initiated as far back
as September 2001. At that time, the Zoryan Institute, in collaboration with
the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council (TABDC), represented by
Mr. Kaan Soyak, its President, developed the outlines of a proposal for a
historians’ forum. This was done with the involvement of both Turkish and
Armenian scholars. The goal of the forum was to create a platform for
historians where a conceptual framework would be developed to discuss
historical facts, especially as they relate to the treatment of the
Armenians by the Ottoman authorities in the last days of the Ottoman Empire,
during World War I. The discussion would be free and open, enabling both
societies to deal with their past. The forum would also disseminate, without
censorship, information through seminars, colloquia, conferences, and public
discussions and would make available the archival and source documentation
for this subject through the broadcast media. At that time, Mr. Soyak let us
know that the Turkish Government was intimately informed about this
initiative, and that the TABDC was to take the proposal to the Turkish
government for its approval. Unfortunately, such approval was never
obtained, we believe, because “diverging interpretations of events that took
place during a particular period.continue to hamper the development of
friendly relations between” Armenia and Turkey today, as you note in your
letter.
In order to help reconcile these divergent interpretations, the two sides
must listen to and hear each other. As part of this process, a common body
of knowledge needs to be created, so that established facts can help
alleviate the polarization of opinions. This, in turn, will lead to the
“peaceful and friendly environment in which tolerance and mutual respect
shall prevail.” Therefore, we at the Zoryan Institute urge your government
to take some simple steps to allow for a free and open discussion within
Turkish society, such as those listed below.
1) Facilitate critical scholars educating society about the events of
1915 from different points of view and not only from the government’s
perspective.
2) Allow the broadcast of a series of lectures on this issue by
renowned Armenian, Turkish and/or third party scholars, who do not
necessarily reflect the government’s official position, through Turkish
television networks, without any censorship, and with the accessibility to
the public for questions.
3) Allow Turkish academics and intellectuals, whose point of view
challenges the official version of what happened in 1915, to express their
ideas through public lectures, publications, and translations of Ottoman
archival materials, without fear of persecution by the state.
4) In this respect, make unequivocally and publicly clear that Article
305 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes “acts against the fundamental
national interest,” does not pertain to the “Armenian Genocide” issue, and
that individuals who say that the Armenians suffered a genocide will not be
persecuted by the state.
In its turn, Armenia should be willing to allow public access there to the
official Turkish point of view, in the same manner.
It takes considerable time to conceptualize new approaches to large
problems, which have eluded solution for generations. At the same time,
there are many useful, small, confidence-building steps that can be taken on
the road to finding that solution. Therefore, we strongly urge the Turkish
Government to accept the call of Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
for your two countries to establish diplomatic relations, with no
preconditions, as a first step to commencing dialogue. This would
demonstrate the sincerity of your government regarding the normalization of
relations between the two countries.
Dear Mr. Prime Minister, by such steps described above, you will help
accelerate the creation of bridges between various sectors of the two
governments and civil societies, so crucial for normalization of relations
and conflict resolution. We urge you not to miss the opportunity at this
juncture of accepting the outstretched hand of friendship from Armenia, as a
previous Turkish government missed during the early 1990s. Please be assured
that we at Zoryan Institute stand ready to support all earnest efforts to
promote Turkish-Armenian dialogue through our expertise and scholarly
resources.
Yours respectfully,
[signed]
Roger W. Smith, Chair, Academic Board of Directors
Cc: President Robert Kocharyan, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Special
Advisor to UN Secretary General Juan Mendez