Failed self-debate

Yerkir/arm
27 May 05

Several weeks ago, the Turkish Prime Minister sent a letter to the
Armenian President proposing to create a group of Armenian and Turkish
historians to research the issue of the Armenian Genocide.

Europeans who like creating all kinds of committees and launching
discussions and dialogs welcomed this proposal. The proposal
received some support in Armenia as well. The Armenian supporters
of the proposal were trying to convince the Armenian public that the
proposal was an expression of Turkey’s new policies and goodwill.

Some even objected to the content of the Armenian President’s response,
rejecting the proposal of such an “academic” dialogue. Time showed
how new, civilized and most importantly sincere the Turks’ desire to
settle the relations with Armenia was.

The Turks who cannot tolerate any opinions deviating from the Turkish
government’s policies of denial of the Armenian Genocide did everything
to fail a conference where only Turkish historians would discuss the
history of the last years of the Ottoman Empire.

This means that the Turkish state was scared even of Turkish
historians. A logical question arises, what are the Armenian
and Turkish historians going to discuss together if the Turkish
historians do not have any opportunities for objective discussions
in their country?

Moreover, the Turkish Minister of Justice accused them of treason. It
is obvious that the Turks are scared of the international recognition
of the Armenian Genocide and are trying to save some time and
manipulate the international community. Let’s understand this and
draw conclusions from this experience. Understanding this, let’s stop
playing “dialogs”.