ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: George Shirinian
DATE: June 28, 2005 Tel: 416-250-9807
Prof. Stephan Astourian Lectures on Turkey’s Entry into the European
Union and its Relations with Armenia in light of the Rejection of
the EU Constitution
Toronto, Canada – “Turkey’s Entry into the European Union and
its Relations with Armenia in light of the Rejection of the EU
Constitution” was the subject of a speech given by Dr. Stephan
Astourian, a member of the Zoryan Institute’s Academic Board, on June
10, 2005 in Toronto.
According to Turkish Press, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
rejected any link between his country’s bid to join the European
Union and the French “no” in a referendum on the EU constitution. Gul
acknowledged that the French “no” could trigger a debate in Europe
on Turkey’s EU bid, but argued that an EU decision in October 2004
to start membership accession talks with Ankara could not be altered
due to political or legal changes in an EU-member country.
Opinions in Europe and among Armenians are heated and sharply divided
on this issue. Some feel that Turkey’s questionable human rights
record and tolerance toward ethno-religious diversity, its treatment
of the Kurdish minority, corruption, the northern Cyprus question,
and the continued denial of the Armenian Genocide are clear indicators
of its inability to be a fully democratic country at this time, and
therefore that Turkey should be barred from the EU. Others, among
them Armenians both in the Diaspora and the homeland, feel that it
is in Armenia’s best interest to have Turkey as an EU member on its
border that has adopted and implemented EU standards regarding open
borders, democracy, including complete freedom of speech and assembly,
and acceptance of the darker chapters of its history.
Dr. Astourian considered the impact on the issues of the recent
rejection of the EU constitution by France and the Netherlands. He
explained that the EU has not included recognition of the Armenian
Genocide as a precondition for Turkish membership in Europe. “However,
the issue of recognition of that genocide has now become quite central
in European and Turkish public debates,” he said. “We must be aware
that the issue of the Armenian Genocide can and will be used for other
purposes by people for whom it is not a fundamental issue. It is up
to concerned Armenians,” he added, “to think realistically about such
manipulation of the issue of the Armenian Genocide by various lobbying
and political groups and to ask whether it is useful or detrimental
to Armenia and Genocide recognition.”
In Dr. Astourian’s view, it may be reasonably inferred that some of the
reforms required of Turkey to join the EU, e.g., freedom of speech and
assembly, a decent human rights record, a significantly smaller role
of the military in political life, etc., will facilitate debate about
the Armenian Genocide in that country. Although such debate does not
imply necessarily that the Armenian Genocide will be recognized as a
“genocide,” it will undermine the orthodox, state-sponsored version
of Turkish history in the medium term.
Dr. Astourian noted that the prospect of Turkey’s entry into the EU
does raise a number of crucial issues. In particular, he challenged
the audience to consider what course of action Armenians should take
if Turkey were to rescind its official state version of history and
recognize the Armenian Genocide. Dr. Astourian stressed that addressing
rationally complex issues, such as the potential consequences of
Turkey’s entry into the EU or an evaluation of the position to be
adopted in case Turkey should recognize the Armenian Genocide as
such, or as a “crime against humanity” or some such other terms,
requires knowledge and dispassionate expertise. After summing the
latest academic developments concerning the Turkish-Armenian dialogue
and research into the Armenian Genocide, Dr. Astourian pointed to the
extreme scarcity of scholars dealing with social scientific fields
that usually inform policy and decision makers. The speaker also
indicated that the very few major academics in Armenian-related fields
are now close to the end of their careers. Dr. Astourian emphasized,
therefore, the need for the Armenian Diaspora to invest in a new
generation of social science scholars who can effectively address
complex issues over the next twenty to thirty years and contribute to
detached analysis regarding Armenian affairs. Dr. Astourian pointed
to the Zoryan Institute as the leading organization in this regard,
responsible for proactively trying to address the critical issue of
expanding a cohesive intellectual base for the Armenian Diaspora
through dispassionate education and research that conforms to the
highest standards of scholarship.
The event was part of an ongoing series of public lectures organized
by the Zoryan Institute on issues relating to Armenia, the Diaspora
and genocide.
This lecture was made possible by with the participation of the
following organizations: Armenian Evangelical Church of Toronto, Holy
Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Gregory’s Armenian Catholic
Church, St.
Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Association of Toronto,
Armenian General Benevolent Union of Toronto, Armenian National
Committee, Canadian Armenian Business Council, Ryerson University
Armenian Student Association, and the University of Toronto Armenian
Student Association; and with the support of the following sponsors:
Arax Jewelers, Robert P. Adourian Barristers & Solicitors, and
Indo-Iranian Rugs.
Prof. Astourian is Executive Director of the Armenian Studies
Program, Adjunct Assistant Professor of History at the University of
California-Berkeley, and a member of the Zoryan Institute’s Academic
Board.
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.