AZG Armenian Daily #094, 25/05/2005

Turkey

‘OTTOMAN ARMENIANS AT DECLINE OF THE EMPIRE. SCIENTIFIC RESPONSIBILITY AND
ISSUES OF DEMOCRACY’

Scientific Workshop Stirs Up Excitement in Turkey

A scientific conference titled “Ottoman Armenians at decline of the Empire.
Scientific Responsibility and Issues of Democracy” will be held in Bosphorus
University of Istanbul on May 25-27. Among all reporters of the workshop the
names of Murad Belge, Halil Berktay, Selim Deringil, Taner Akcam, Fatma
Myuge Gyuceq, Fiqret Adanir and Mete Tuncay should be singled out as
scientists who either recognize the Armenian Genocide or show liking for
recognition. Judging from the hubbub, Turkey’s official denial of the
Genocide seems to bother the other participants of the workshop as well.

In May 23 issue, Turkish Milliyet newspaper sees the reason of the noise in
mutual condemnations of attackers and defenders of Turkey’s negation.
Hurriyet wrote the same day that “the intelligentsia took alarm because of a
workshop dedicated to the Armenian issue and declared war for a workshop
that has not even begun”.

Prof. Ilber Ortaili from Galatasaray University condemned organizers of the
conference saying, “All invited scientists are from a famous team. It’s
impossible to have healthy discussions in such conditions. I somewhat
understand that they did not invite president of Turkish Historic Foundation
Yusuf Halacoglu but they should not pass by specialist of international law
Gyunduz Aktan. Legal issues will be treated by English philosopher Murad
Belge. Our country is a democratic one, and everyone does what he wants”.

Belge responded from the pages of Radikal, “Ortaili says that all the
invited are from a famous team. Yes indeed, he is no more from that team as
he preferred another team. He is not ignorant thus he does know that his
words are false. But his choice leaves no room for an alternative”.

In the meantime, Halacoglu accused the organizers of “deserting to the
Armenian Diaspora” and said, “Those expressing views of the Armenian side
are invited whereas I am not. If I am expressing the official opinion, then
they guard the views of Diaspora”.

Hurriyet notes that Halil Berktay replied to all critics on behalf of the
organizational committee. He said, “The official thesis on the Armenian
issue was almost the prevailing ideology in Turkey for decades. Most of us
have learnt every sentence of it by heart. For this reason there is no need
that Eleqdag or Halacoglu come and “enlighten” us. Let the supporters of the
official view keep us away from engaging in rubbish that they themselves do
not believe in. There were many conferences in our country dedicated to the
Armenian issue. But all of them were one-sided: no independent historian was
ever invited to any of them. For one, the initiators of a workshop backed by
the Eurasian Center for Strategic Studies and National Security Council
trumpeted that they will not invite Halil Berktay, i.e. me. Hence, the
complaints of those holding to official stance should be taken as black
humor”.

By Hakob Chakrian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress