TURKEY’S PRIME MINISTER TROUBLED BY ARMENIA’S DIASPORA
By Appo Jabarian
USA Armenian Life Magazine
October 23, 2009
During a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Turkey’s
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan went on a temper tantrum against
Diaspora Armenians.
When asked about the Protocols, Armenia, and Artsakh (Nagorno
Karabagh), Mr. Erdogan said: "I believe when President Sargsyan was on
an international visit, he was faced by a reaction from the Armenian
Diaspora. So what he does in face of the reaction of the Diaspora
is very important. If he can stand firm, and if it is the government
of Armenia and not the Armenian Diaspora that is determining policy
in Armenia, then I think that we can move forward. As far as we’re
concerned there is no problem. But it is up to the government in
Armenia.
Next, he added: "What is important and I would like to underline this,
because this is perhaps the most important point is that Armenia
should not allow its policies to be taken hostage by the Armenian
Diaspora. It should be up to the government to carry out its policies."
It’s all too clear that Mr. Erdogan wants to divide and conquer. The
Turkish Prime Minister is working overtime to create a wedge between
Armenia and its 8-million strong Diaspora.
Will the denialist Turkish leader succeed in stripping Armenia from its
number one social, economic, and political ally, the Armenian Diaspora?
It was because of a strong opposition by Armenians both in the
homeland and the Diaspora to the unfair terms of the Protocols,
including Ankara’s demand that Armenia give up its pursuit of Artsakh’s
independence, Turkey back-paddled and started to distance itself from
the Artsakh issue, separating it from the normalization of diplomatic
ties with Armenia.
But that should not misguide the Armenians into thinking that
Turkey is doing Armenia and Armenians a favor. They are entitled
to carry out the Destalinization/Deturkification process of the
Armenian territories. Artsakh is the first of many steps leading to
the ultimate reunification of Armenia through the establishment of
Federal Republics of Armenia.
In 1921, the following Eastern Armenian provinces of Artsakh (1),
Nakhitchevan (1), Gandzak (1), Javakhq (2), Ardahan (3), Kars (3),
and Igdir (3) were stalinized under the infamous Soviet dictator Josef
Stalin. They were carved out of Armenia of 1918 and were arbitrarily
"gifted" respectively to the newly Sovietized Azerbaijan (1), Georgia
(2), and Kemalist Turkey (3).
Now that the infamous Protocols are signed, Armenians in Armenia and
around the world have no choice but to derail its ratification in the
National Assembly. Armenia’s capitulation to unfair Turkish demands
shall not be allowed to linger. Turkey should be stopped and Armenia
should be saved. Otherwise, Mr. Erdogan’s obvious anxiety over the
Diaspora Armenians activism will definitely multiply.
He should take no solace from the temporary support of Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton, acting as a proxy for the multi-national
oil/gas conglomerates.
Secretary Clinton: The Oil Lady
During ’08 U.S. presidential primary election season, then candidate
Hillary Clinton used to refer to then President George W. Bush and
Vice-President Dick Cheney as "The oilmen."
So now, since she is eagerly catering to energy multi-national
corporations’ thirst for faster profits at the expense of Armenia
and Armenians, she must be called "The Oil Lady."
On October 14, The Washington Post reported that Secretary Clinton
"executed some deft diplomacy last weekend as the leaders of Turkey
and Armenia signed a potentially historic deal to establish normal
diplomatic relations and reopen their borders. We say ‘potentially’
because there are some big obstacles to implementing the accord, which
we’ll come back to. … The rapprochement between these two nations
matters to the United States for a number of reasons. It could help
stabilize the volatile Caucasus region, open the way for new corridors
for the export of gas and oil to the West, ease Russia’s political
domination of Armenia, and remove a major irritant from U.S. relations
with Turkey. The Obama administration worked diligently to promote the
accord. … President Obama played a part by sidestepping a campaign
promise to formally recognize the mass killing of Armenians by Turks
during World War I as ‘genocide.’"
The Moscow, Europe and U.S.-based energy giants have set their eyes on
the construction of their oil pipeline linking the oil and gas fields
of Central Asia to Europe via Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey. But why
pursue it at dire consequences for Armenia and Diaspora Armenians? Why
allow Turkey to exploit the opportunity by forcing Armenia to give up
its demands of lands in Turkish-occupied Western Armenia; Reparations
for the Turkish-executed Armenian genocide?
By abusing the political opportunity, Turkey has poured more gasoline
on the fire, igniting worldwide Armenian condemnation. But who is
to blame for the fact that Turkey is deeply troubled by Armenia’s
Diaspora? Turkey!