ARMENIAN NATIONAL UNITY CAN NOT BE QUESTIONED ANY MORE
Aram Araratyan
ArmInfo
2010-04-20 16:21:00
Interview with Hilda Tchoboian, Chairwoman of the European Armenian
Federation for Justice and Democracy
Mrs.Thoboian, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan meetings in Washington
finished. What, in your opinion, are their main results?
In the course of Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Washington was that he
clarified to Turkey and the USA the norms of negotiations between
Armenia and Turkey. From now on, the negotiations should be defined by
the norms fixed by Armenia. The international forces and particularly
Turkey noted that the Armenian national unity can not be questioned
any more.
During in his Washington’s speech Armenian leader stressed that
time has proved that Armenian-Turkish process would slow down or
temporarily freeze international steps aimed at the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide. Do you, as a representative of the Armenian
Diaspora, share this opinion?
No, during the early period of processing the protocols, the diplomatic
confusion gave a blow to the cause of the internationalization of
genocide recognition. But we already have passed this stage.
Before Serzh Sargsyan’s Pan-Armenian tour you mentioned that there
is a split between the Diaspora and Armenia. Have you changed your
position since that time, given that the main concern of the Diaspora
in the issue of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, namely
the "freezing" of the international process of Genocide recognition,
proved to be groundless?
I didn’t speak about dissension, but I said there was now a gap
between Armenia and the Diaspora. No, I do not think that the fears
of the Diaspora proved unfounded. But after the pronouncements of
Der Zor and Washington it is clear that a unity is currently set up,
and my hope is that it persists. I had also suggested that Diaspora’s
preoccupations and interests be integrated in a global Armenian
strategy to be implemented in the field of relations with Turkey. I
still insist on the necessity of considering Diaspora as a political
subject to insure the viability of the Armenian nation.
How sincere are the statements of Turkish leaders about their desire
to establish contacts with the Armenian Diaspora? Is the Diaspora
ready to a dialogue?
To judge, we have to look for signs of a change of attitude from the
Turkish government. So far, I see no signs that are needed to create
an atmosphere conducive to dialogue with Diaspora. They even don’t
have that favourable atmosphere to discuss with their own people,
because channels of a genuine dialogue are legally blocked in Turkey.
Is Diaspora ready to a dialogue? In the genocide issue, the Diaspora is
the injured party. Consequently, Turkey has to make special efforts to
convince the Diasporan organisations to believe its sincerity mainly
because until now we only experienced attempts by Turkish leaders to
mask their real intention to bury the issue of genocide by a process
of biased dialogue.
What do you think about the prospects that Barack Obama, in his annual
speech on April 24 will outline the events of 1915 as "Genocide"?
We shouldn’t make predictions in this area, because currently
Turkish-American relations are in an instable stage. Barack Obama, as
a Democrat leader has made a clear promise to recognize the Armenian
genocide that he has not fulfilled. And November 2010 elections
should make Democrats and President Obama think seriously about the
consequences of that failure.
How do you assess the possibility of adopting a resolution on the
Armenian Genocide in countries such as Spain, Serbia and Bulgaria?
Genocide recognitions have generally not been easy to accomplish
because of the huge pressure put by Turkey on the governments. We
have always succeeded in the countries to obtain recognitions by
facing that pressure. I’m convinced that Spain, Serbia and Bulgaria
will recognize the Armenian genocide too. Having said that our main
objective should be to make possible the recognition by Turkey.
Rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey and reopening of the border
has never been a key issue in the process of Turkey’s joining the EU.
Yet, don’t you think the EU should clearly put such a precondition
in its own negotiation?
That precondition exists: One of the membership criteria Turkey
should fulfill is to establish good neighborly relations with all its
surrounding countries. So, even now, Turkey has already violated the
European conditions for its membership. It has the same problem with
a European Union member country – Cyprus that it refuses to recognize.
Actually, Turkey is not interested in the normalization of its
relations with Armenia, but rather pretends to act for it. All its
efforts are directed to convince the European Union that Turkey is
committed to make peace with Armenia, while in reality it sabotages
the peace process.