Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
June 12 2005

Turkish MP in Armenia
Turkish MP: ‘I will Defend the Opening of the Border and You will Say
There is No So-Called Genocide’

By Jan Soykok (JTW) with Fatih Ugur, Tuncay Kayaoglu (Cihan)

* The meeting in Armenian between Justice and Development Party (AKP)
deputy Turhan Comez and his Armenian collegue Khachatur Sukiasyan has
produced an interesting dialogue.

* Comez proposed to Sukiasyan, one of the most important businessmen
of the country, ‘Let us go to our parliaments and make a statement
about the opening of the borders and leaving the Armenian genocide
claims aside’. However, the Armenian deputy did not welcome the idea.
While both of the deputies agreed that the problems should be left
aside and theyshould think about the future, Sukiasyan said that the
Turkish-Armenian border remaining closed was something
incomprehensible.

* Upon Comez’s suggestion to prepare a list of the existing problems
and work on them, the Armenian deputy said he did not want to talk
about the problems and repeated that all the problems should be put
aside. Upon this, Comez said, ‘Let’s work together. When I make a
speech about the opening of Armenian border gate in the Turkish
Parliament, you, in your parliament, explain that the events taking
place in 1915 were not a genocide, that this issue should be examined
by the historians and explain your respect for Turkey’s territorial
integrity. This will be a small step but it will be an important
start.”

* Saying that they should not trivialize these kinds of problems,
Sukiasyan said the relations should start without any pre-conditions.
Indicating that the events taking place in 1915 were very painful,
Sukiasyan said: “Even if you step on somebody’s foot, you apologize.’
Upon this, the AKP Deputy reminded of what the Armenian gangs did in
1915 and the diplomats assassinated by the Armenian organization
ASALA.

* Upon these remarks, the Armenian deputy told:

“These things are in the past now. We should not give damage to each
other.” Comez replied, “By establishing civil bridges, we can cope
with many problems. It is very important even to talk about these
problems.”

Saying that the closing of border gates is meaningless, Sukiasyan
emphasized that the public should be taken into consideration and
added: ” The events of 1915 made us hostile to each other. After the
opening of the border gates, we may have an opportunity for joint
growth and development. Armenia has a great and bright future. Let us
act together to make this region grow. There are problems even
between the brothers. The most important problem between us is the
opening of borders. We are neighbors, let us act as neighbors.”

Turkey has recently aimed to restore its relations with Armenia.
However the Armenian occupation in Azerbaijan territories and
Armenia’s ‘irredentist’ official documents prevent any improvement.
Armenian forces occupy 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories. The
Armenian Constitution calls Turkey’s Eastern provinces ‘Western
Armenia’: The Armenian diaspora in particular is against any close
relationship between Turkey and Armenia.