IMPOSSIBLE TO GO AHEAD

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18:27:55 – 30/09/2009

The Civilitas foundation today organized a discussion in connection
with the Armenian and Turkish dialogue in which the reporter of the
Turkish Jaman daily Yavud Baydar also took part.

Baydar noted that because of his political stances 14 years he lived
out of Turkey and returned there only in 1998. After returning to
Turkey, he got to know Hrant Dink and other representatives of the
Armenian community of Istanbul and patriarchate. Only then, he learnt
about the Armenian case.

According to Baydar, in ’90 the Turkish society started to understand
that the current Constitution needed amendments. After this, the
Turkish doors opened. And the current government managed to direct
Turkey to the European Union. The society has to know what happened
in Turkey many years ago. The Kurdish people, who are numerous in
Turkey, started bringing up their issues. And the Armenian community
which is only 70, 000 was pushed apart. The present Turkish youth is
interested in these problems. Many understand that it is impossible
to go ahead with problems. Now in Turkey the society is trying to
find ways to solve problems.

Hrant Dink’s murder gave a new dynamics to the question. Each educated
Turkish citizen tries to learn the black pages of their history. But
this is very difficult process because for many years people did not
know their history now getting acquainted with it, they need time to
reconcile, says Baydar.

Reporters asked about the Armenian and Turkish protocols. According
to Baydar, the greater part of the Turkish society does not know about
the protocols, but understands that relations should be bettered with
their neighbours. Not only physical but also spiritual borders should
be open for people to know each other.