ARMENIAN HISTORIAN REJECTS "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE"

Democratic Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2006

Levon Panos Dabagian: "Turkish history has never had genocide
against Armenians" While protest actions against the adoption of a
draft bill concerning the punishment for denial "Armenian genocide"
adopted by the Lower Chamber of the French Parliament are ongoing, the
Armenians living in Turkey decided to join to the process. According
to the Armenians, distinguishing with their more moderate approach
to the 1915 events rather than the Armenian diaspora, political
speculations developing around the so called "Armenian genocide"
complicates the process of improvement of the relations between Turks
and Armenians. Turkish Armenians informed that they condemn the draft
bill that is expected to be adopted by the Parliament of France and
stated that the document just serve for pre-election interests of
French political circles.

Mesrop Mutafian II, the religious leader of Armenians living in Turkey
also noted that such decision of the French Parliament won’t give
anything to Armenians but just make worsen unfavorable relations
between the two nations. In general, Mutafian’s view to the 1915
events (Patriarch do not call them genocide) are regularly critiqued
by Armenian diaspora and Yerevan political circles. According to
Mutafian, Turks as well as Armenians are directly relevant to the
1915 events. But as the Patriarch thinks, the both nation’s be better
leave behind this date and think over how to rehabilitate friendship
once existed between the nations, rather than to day, several decades
after that event to reveal who is to blame for that to a greater or
lesser extent.

Levon Panos Dabagian, Armenian historian living in Turkey also
thinks so. It is appropriate mention that Dabagian was one of the
first of few representatives of Armenian lobby who openly speaks
against "genocide" campaign. At the same time Dabagian considers
Armenian demands concerning the "genocide" groundless on the basis of
historical facts. The historian studying the history of the Ottoman
Empire’s Armenians for a long time published his own book entitled
"The history of Turkish Armenians" in 2003. It is known that right
away after the decision of French Parliament Dabagian appeared in
Turkish mass media and criticized such action of French MPs.

Dabagian confirms that throughout all Turkish history there were
never events even closed to Armenian genocide, and all statements
relating that are based on the political interests: "During World
War I Turkey deported Armenians living in its territory and it is
generally accepted but Turkey has never had conducted a genocide policy
against Armenians." According to Dabagian, the decision concerning
the mentioned deportation was taken due to the wartime conditions:
"Anyway, the actions cannot be called genocide."

It is appropriate mention that it concerns the "Law on Deportation"
adopted towards Armenians living on front-line in 1915, when in the
Eastern Anatolia the armed hostilities between the Ottoman Empire and
the czarist Russia were in progress. According to the law composed of
3 Articles, the Armenian population living there who excited rebellion
against the Ottoman armed forces had been deported to the territory
of non-armed hostilities, including the Middle East. In addition, the
multitude of Armenian population, not involving in the propaganda and
armed rebellion against Turkey were subjected to the deportation and
Turkey recognizes the fact today. But it was wartime and any state
would act in so way.

As the Armenian historian thinks, the majority of Armenians excited
rebellion in 1915 and living in the areas where armed hostilities
between the Ottoman Empire and Russian Empire progressed were not
indigene, and the Russians instigated them to the rebellion. He
informed that in World War I the western countries as well as Russia
had used the Armenians against the Ottoman Turkey: "Western world
decided to make use of Armenians and undermine the power of Turkey.

Thus, Russia, making use of the factor strived for the commencement
of the majority of armed conflicts by the Armenians removed to Turkey
from Russia."

As the Armenian historian notes, while the event used to be discussed
between Armenia and Turkey, the majority of Western countries are
still trying to make use of it in their own political interests.

According to Dabagian, the use of the "Armenian genocide" in the issue
relating Turkish accession to the European Union has no in common
with the Armenian lobby activity in the United States and with the
majority of Armenians’ demands.

The Armenian historian’s such statement is very noteworthy. But
unfortunately, voices of such scholars as Dabagian are lost among
deceitful speculations of Armenian lobby and their supporters,
ongoing the groundless campaign for a long time. The Armenian false
to date is echoed in different countries worldwide that assume the
historical truth and even make use of it in their purposes as some
Western countries do it. The draft bill adopted by the Lower chamber
of the French Parliament can be exemplified once more.

Of course, it is impossible to say that Turkey makes absolutely no
efforts to counteract to the campaign. It is impossible to deny that
Turkey held just observance position for a long time as it did not
believe in Armenian successes. But for recent two years Turkey began
to undertake purposeful and complex steps, holding symposiums devoted
to "Armenian issue", and organizing international conferences with
participation of the distinguished foreign historians.

One of the foreign scholars exposing Armenian false on international
scene, a British professor Andrew Mango made a report on the occasion
in Turkey. In speech the English scholar informed that one of the
key purposes of the dissemination of false information about Turkish
"deeds" by Armenians is to cover up their own actions committed against
the Azerbaijani nation. Talking of that he cited the Khojaly tragedy
as an example.

By holding such arrangements Turkey is trying to bring the issue to
the notice of international community, guiding by the historical facts
and truth, but not false fantasy. As it is known, last year Rajab
Tayyib Erdogan, a Turkish Prime-Minister offered to Robert Kocharian,
the Armenian President to set up a common commission for studying the
1915 events and following period. But the official Yerevan rejected
the proposal. Thus, the regulation of Armenian-Turkish relations
under such context is very a complex task.