"TURKEY AT CROSSROADS ON ARMENIA" – TREND NEWS EXPERT
Trend News Agency
;news id=1262674&lang=EN
Aug 5 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 August / Trend News corr. R.Hafizoglu / Armenians
implement an active lobby activity to restore their ‘obedient nation’
image, like in the period of the Ottoman Empire.
For this purpose, Armenia did not need political maneuvers. The recent
events in Turkey have proved the activity of Armenians in the territory
of the country.
It is not by chance that Turkish President Abdullah Gul was invited
to watch the football match between the Turkish and Armenian teams
in Yerevan on 6 August by Armenian’s Serzh Sargsyan. Actually, such
a step by Armenians may drive Turkey into a corner. Gul’s rejection
to visit Armenia may be evaluated as Turkey was not ready to launch
a dialogue with Armenia, and Armenians consider the possible visit
of Turkish President to the country as the start of dialogue between
the countries.
A serious popularization was carried out in Turkey before Gul was
invited to Yerevan. Dismissal of Pf.Yusuf Khalachoglu, who attempted
to prove the invented pretensions to ‘Armenian genocide’, from the
chairman position in the Turkish History Department, gave an impact
to extend the Armenian popularization in Turkey.
The scheduled festival Yeshil Yayla through support of the Armenian
Government in the Rize City, is one of the lobby activity of Armenians
in Turkey. The Christensen Fund (TCF) supported by Armenian Diaspora
has allocated â~B¬200,000 to hold this festival. The funds were
allocated to support hemshins, who reside in Turkey and state about
their Armenian origin.
Ismayil Dinchar, the Head of International Force Unity Platform, said
that the scheduled festival by Armenians in the Black Sea region was
directed to reinforce their lobby activity and to prove hemshins the
unity of historical origins. Furthermore, Armenians, who attempt to
prove hemshins that they have the one historical roof, state that the
Armenian Churches and churchyards in Turkey were in a bad situation.
These statements were published in the Turkish magazine Evrensel
Hayat. "There are hundred of our Churches in Turkey, and they are
in a bad situation. Our main Church is the cloister on the Mereto
mountain and Church Maria Mother of God in Gulse. Turks do not respect
our graves. Gravestones are installed with the names of Muslims,
while there is not any sign on the graves of Armenians. This must be
stopped," is stated in the magazine.
There are other evidences about the Armenian lobby activity in Turkey.
Some 70,000 Armenians illegally work in Turkey. Former MP of Armenian
Parliament Stephan Grigoryan said the following about Armenians
illegally working in Turkey in the interview to the Star newspaper:
"I normally perceive that Armenians work in Turkey. We will solve this
problem as soon as we will restore the diplomatic relations with this
country. Armenians have good working conditions in Turkey. Turks and
Armenians have one culture, music and traditions. In spite of Dashnaks,
we should start the dialogue with Turks from the common issues rather
than problems."
Grigoryan has positively evaluated the invitation of Turkish President
to Yerevan and touched upon the importance of such a step to develop
relations between the two countries. "I do not believe that Gul
will visit Yerevan, but there is a message to Turkey beyond this
invitation. Our further development depends on Turkey. Turkish
political elite is very intelligent. Turkey understands that it is
an ally not only for Azerbaijan in the region. We should use of this
chance and to take the initiative to our hands," former Armenian
MP said.
Furthermore, Armenians hope that the Turkish-Armenian border to be
opened in the near future.
Gregoriy Vanyan, the Chairman of the organization World Initiatives
of South Caucasus, has evaluated the opening of the Turkish-Armenian
border as a very significant step to stabilize relations between
Armenia and Turkey and to solve the problems.
Another evidence of development of the relations between Turkey and
Armenia is an opening of the Armenian language and literature faculty
in one of the Universities in Nevsher City.
Turkish Education Ministry has opened the Armenian language and
literature faculty after an official permission by the Foreign
Ministry. This was said by Pf.Mehmet Metin Hulagu to the information
agency Habertime. Hulagu hoped that the faculty would play a role of
bridge between the two countries. Taking into consideration that there
are few specialists in Turkey, who can speak in the Armenian language,
such specialists will be attracted from Armenia.
It would be simply-minded to take actualization of the Turkish-Armenian
relations as by chance. European Union is also interested in
normalization of the Turkish- Armenian relations and opening of
borders. EU’s main demand from Turkey is to open borders with Armenia
and to restore relations with this country in response to support
the Turkish ruling party.
All the aforesaid make us to think that the deadlock period between
Turkey and Armenia have passed. Armenian’s prospectus depends on
Turkey. Turkey faces another historical choice.
–Boundary_(ID_M6Fq0K4wkgCn8jWHO//i6g)–