TURKS ARE GATHERING SIGNATURES, WHILE ARMENIANS ARE SILENT
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.12.2008 GMT+04:00

A campaign against the signatories is started by Azerbaijan, which
has been intensively counteracting Turkey in the latter’s attempt to
normalize relations with Armenia on its way into the EU.

In the afternoon of December 18 the number of collected signatures
under the petition "Armenians, we apologize" reached 13315. The fact
itself was quite predictable and there are more than enough reasons
for it. No matter how hard Official Ankara tries to assure that Turkey
is a country of freedom of speech and expression, blocking of YouTube
and other websites proves the contrary. The strange point is that the
Turkish authorities waited 2 days after which Prime-Minister Erdogan
finally voiced his Â"disapprovalÂ" of the initiative.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ However, the point is not the Turks who are
absolutely free to do what they like: to apologize, to repent,
to open the Turkish-Armenian border. Most important is the
position of Armenians but it has not yet been distinctly voiced by
anyone. Logically, we must say "We are certainly thankful to you,
but the thing is that you never uttered the keyword ‘genocide’,
therefore your apologies are not worth a pin." But we don’t do
it. Moreover, we are almost touched by the courageous move of Â"manly
Turkish brethrenÂ". To all appearances, we have to remind what really
happened. In 1915, shortly before the massacre and deportation the
Young Turks likewise flattered Armenians and vowed everlasting
friendship. History has a peculiarity to repeat itself, and not
necessarily will it be in the form of a farce for the second time. It
should also be remembered that in 1915 it was only Germany that was on
Turkey’s side but for some reason its role in the Â"solutionÂ" of the
Armenian issue is forgotten. Now Turkey is backed up also by Azerbaijan
and by almost all the Muslims except the Arabs and Iranians. Hence,
Armenia has a matter to think over. It is not out of place to mention
that the campaign against the signatories is headed up by Azerbaijan,
which has been intensively counteracting Turkey in the latter’s attempt
to normalize relations with Armenia on its way into the EU. Azerbaijan
herself doesn’t need membership in the EU, while it is favourable for
Turkey. It turns out that Armenia hinders them both as it has always
been in history. Unlike Ankara, opposition parties in Baku can make
statements only with the authorities’ permission that is why it makes
absolutely no difference who voices the official viewpoint. According
to Chairman of "Muasir Musavat" party Hafiz Hajiyev, "Turkey should
break off negotiations with Armenia, as it proceeds from her own
interests." But here Hajiyev acts sneakily; in fact it proceeds from
Baku’s interests. Turkey can live on without Â"sisterÂ" Azerbaijan,
while Azerbaijan without Turkey can hardly survive… There is also
Georgia, but it is too unreliable for allied relations, and as for
the Islamic countries, they will simply not interfere.

Against this background silence of the Armenian side depresses
greatly. It reminds of the book story about Grigor Zohrab, who
on the night of April 24 assured that nothing bad awaited the
Armenians. "Yesterday I was playing backgammon with Talat Pasha. If
there was something, he would have warned me…," he said. Even if the
story is made-up it sounds too credible. It was exactly this naivety,
to say no more, that resulted in the massacre and may still bring to
more painful consequences for Armenia. We may simply become a reserve
in the South Caucasus. Of course, this is the worst scenario that
may materialize but we are doing nothing against it realization.

And lastly, member of the Republican People’s Party of Turkey (CHP)
Canan Aritman made a statement in connection with the current campaign
"Armenians, we apologize". She said a commission should be formed to
investigate the nationality of President Abdullah Gul. "It is a fact
that Gul’s mother is of Armenian origin. His Uncle Ahmed Satoglu
mentioned it himself. Nationality of a person makes no difference
to me. We respect people irrespective of their nationality. But a
president must uphold the interests and honour of the country. Under
the current state of events the Turkish President should have
declared to the whole world that Turkey did not commit Â"genocideÂ"
of Armenians. But Gul did not do it," Aritman stated.

By the way, Abdul Hamid’s mother used to be an Armenian too, and the
Young Turks were Jews who converted to Islam (Donme). But they were
and will always remain Turks who hate the Armenians just because
the latter exist. It is a fact and both Armenians and the Armenian
authorities have to reckon with it.

–Boundary_(ID_ss4KjisMBa/OuLqrZ10F+Q)–