news.az, Azerbaijan
March 5 2010

Congress decision to create problems in US-Turkey relations – Azerbaijani MP
Fri 05 March 2010 | 12:55 GMT Text size:

Jamil Hasanli News.Az interviews Jamil Hasanli, MP and famous historian.

How do you assess the decision of the Committee on Foreign Relations
of the US Congress that approved the draft resolution on the fictional
`Armenian genocide’, as a historian?

First of all, if the `genocide’ was real, why didn’t the US lawmakers
recognize it before? The 20’s, 30’s and 40’s were closer in terms of
the time to `genocide’ recognized by the Armenian side. In those years
it would have been possible to define the absence or existence of such
`genocide’ more realistically. In the 20s, the US Presidential
Administration, the Congress and the Senate of this country were more
pro-Armenian.

US President Hoover (Herbert Hoover) led the US administration in
1929-1933) led the program of rendering assistance to Armenia earlier,
in the 19-20s. At that time he wrote letters to senators with a
request to render assistance to Armenia. In this case, why wasn’t the
issue of `genocide’ discussed in the Congress or the US Senate? As is
known, the UN adopted the resolution of genocide, why then didn’t the
United State recall the `Armenian genocide’ of 1915 after adoption of
this document. Years have passed and now it is used as a political
mean and a political pressure against Turkey. In his time, Premier
Francesco Mitte wrote in his book `Europe’s Resurrection’ that the
western countries use Armenian trump when they feel the need to put
pressure on Turkey.

Several deputies in the Azerbaijani parliament spoke of the need to
send a group of deputies to Washington to persuade the US lawmakers of
the harm of the said document to interstate relations during the
recent discussion of raising the issue of the mythical `Armenian
genocide’ on the agenda of the US Congress. Do you think the visit of
the deputies could influence the decision of the congressmen?

Certainly, we should be by Turkey’s side in this issue. This issue
refers not only to Turkey. This is also Azerbaijan’s problem. By
adopting the resolution of fictional `Armenian genocide’, the United
States are justifying the current crimes of Armenians, granting them
the status of the humiliated and abused nations thus setting back the
occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenians, driving Azerbaijani
citizens away from their native lands. In other words, if historically
the mythical `refers’ to Turkey, in the modern sense it refers to
Azerbaijan.

Which steps do you think Azerbaijan should take when the draft
resolution of `Armenian genocide’ is already adopted by the Committee
and submitted for consideration in the Congress?

Certainly, in this issue Azerbaijan should take steps conjointly with
Turkey. Turkey and Azerbaijan should join efforts to disclose the
essence of the so-called `Armenian genocide’. Ankara and Baku must
remind to Washington that the adoption of the fictional `Armenian
genocide’ by the Congress will create definite problems in the
relations of the United States with Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Which definite implications will the possible adoption of the
resolution on recognition of `Armenian genocide’ in the Congress have
for the US-Azerbaijani relations?

Nothing will change if the US Congress recognizes the fictional
`Armenian genocide’. By this recognition Turkey will turn into the
object of moral condemnation. On the other hand, I consider that the
recognition of the mythical `Armenian genocide’ by the US Congress is
also connected with Azerbaijan. It means that such a decision of the
Congress connected with Turkey also refers to the policy held by
Washington on Azerbaijan. I would like to note once again that in case
the Congress recognizes the mythical `Armenian genocide’, it would
mean moral support to the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by
Armenians.

The Azerbaijani parliament has already voiced recommendations that as
an adequate step in case of recognition of the mythical `Armenian
genocide’ in the US Congress, the Turkish parliament should recognize
the `Khojaly genocide’. Will this step of the Turkish parliament by
proportional to the recognition of `1915 genocide’ in the US Congress?

I do not consider it right that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
must recognize the Khojaly genocide in a response to recognition of
fictional `Armenian genocide’ in the US Congress. Such issues should
be approached clearly: either there was a genocide or it has never
existed. Khojaly genocide is a tragedy that does not need proofs. It
means that the Khojaly genocide occurred in everyone’s eyes and this
tragedy is fixed in video materials. The rejection of this tragedy is
impossible. In other words, it is incorrect to bind the recognition of
the Khojaly genocide with the adoption of the fictional `Armenian
genocide’ by any country. Turkey must take this step and recognize
the Khojaly genocide regardless of whether the US Congress will
recognize the `Armenian genocide’.

Will the decision of the Congress influence the normalization of
relations between Turkey and Armenia?

Naturally, the recognition of fictional `Armenian genocide’ by the US
Congress will have a negative influence on the normalization of the
Turkish-Armenian relations. However, it should be noted that there
have been many issues that condition the normalization of relations
between Turkey and Armenia. Anyway, it is possible to say for sure
that Armenia is not ready to normalize relations with Turkey. By
taking such steps, the Armenian side aimed to check Turkey’s nerves.

How will this decision of the US Congress influence the Karabakh settlement?

Certainly, the decision of the Congress will also have a negative
impact on the negotiation process on the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict. I think on the whole, Azerbaijan must set an alternative way
of liberating its occupied lands. The activity of the OSCE Minsk Group
on the Karabakh conflict settlement is harmful for Azerbaijan because
it aims at adjusting Azerbaijan to existing status quo on Karabakh. In
other words, this process is in Armenia’s favor. Equation of the
occupant and the victim of occupation is a political support to the
occupant.

W.W.
News.Az