THE ARMENIAN ISSUE ON TURKEY’S DOMESTIC POLICY AGENDA
Vardan Grigoryan
Hayoc Ashkharh
11 Sept 2007
The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Mehmet Uphouk Uras,
a Turkish Parliamentarian elected from Istanbul, may become turning
point in the Armenian-Turkish relations. If, of course, it doesn’t
follow the fate of Orhan Pamouk, who has actually become a political
emigrant and Hrant Dink, who was assassinated after being involved
in a long drawn-out court proceeding, as well as other intellectuals
and advocates.
Regardless the motives by which the Turkish Parliamentarian was guided,
he has definitely breached the well-known article of the Turkish
Criminal Code by recognizing the Armenian Genocide. The greatest
taboo existing throughout the Turkish history has been called into
question by an individual representing the state. And the tactical
starting point saying that, "it is impossible to achieve anything by
conducting a denunciation policy" served as basis for such an attitude.
Proposing the Resolution on the Recognition of the Armenian Genocide
in an interview with Raffi Arax, an Armenian journalist living in
Turkey, Mehmet Uphouk Uras introduces the "limited recognition"
program broadly circulating in the West, instead of expressing the
viewpoints of the Armenian side.
It envisages admitting the fact of the crime committed at the beginning
of the 20th century, ameliorating the relations with Armenia and,
what’s more, providing some material compensation to the descendants
of the victims. The Turkish Parliamentarian finds that "It doesn’t
matter how we will call the tragedy – genocide, ethnic cleansing or
otherwise. It is much more important to admit that the heinous crime
was committed, and it is impossible to deny it."
The latter idea certainly derives from a belief striking deeper and
deeper roots in Turkey, i.e. the only result of their fruitless
struggle against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is the
facilitation of the factor of the Armenian side. Whether the world
does not realize why the Turks are trying to conceal the crime
committed by their ancestors? The considerable number of the US
Congressmen supporting the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and
the recent steps taken by the Jewish organizations, in addition to
other preliminary signs, prompt Turkey that the West is no longer
going to wait for the amelioration of the Armenian-Turkish relations
and has an intention to speed up the course of the developments.
Of course, the Western experts also manage to calculate the aftermaths
of the deterioration of the American-Turkish relations – something
that becomes inevitable as a result of the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. However, the discussions lead to the conclusion that it
is even possible to take serious chances in order to push Turkey to
serious steps.
Realizing such prospects awaiting them in the near future, the Islamic
authorities of Turkey are also taking steps that create an illusion of
an Armenian-Turkish dialogue. In the meantime, the "cultural dialogue",
which often involves intellectuals and artists unaware of the nuances
of political developments, has also livened up.
However, it is necessary to bear in mind that the aspirations that some
part of the Turkish elite has with regard to making tactical maneuvers
stand in radical contradiction to the dispositions prevalent in the
Army and among the majority of the people, as it will be difficult
to explain to them why the Resolution on the "limited recognition"
of the Armenian Genocide is being imposed on their country. For the
majority of the Turks, especially for those living in the eastern
and central provinces of the country, the ethnic name "Ermeni"
continues to remain as an enemy’s symbol and even – a specific form
of blasphemy containing a political pretext. The last proof is the
recent clash that took place in Malatia, Hrant Dink’s hometown, where
the policemen and inhabitants were indignant at being called "Ermeni".
Therefore, in view of the intensification of the external pressures
and the instability of the internal situation, the statement made by
MP Mehmet Uphouk Uras will become a litmus paper testing the current
dispositions in Turkey. It is clear that the political forces will
be obliged to demonstrate a certain attitude, considering that the
proposal on recognizing the Armenian Genocide was made by a Turkish
Parliamentarian, and not an ordinary citizen or an intellectual,.
Stating the preliminary signs of re-opening the Armenian Issue inside
Turkey and considering their direct relationship with the political
agenda imposed on our neighbor from the West, it is also necessary
to realize that the program aimed at the "limited recognition" of the
Armenia Genocide purely pursues a task of speeding up the process of
Turkey’s European integration and contributing to the amelioration
of the Armenian-Turkish relations, rather than resolving the Armenian
Issue.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
