Het Financieele Dagblad (Dutch newspaper)
June 24, 2004
“Recognition of genocide will help Turkey progress”
Turkey is high on the Dutch agenda with a view to an EU membership.
According to Turkey-expert Hilmar Kaiser openness of the past will
increase the chances.
BY OUR EDITOR
AMSTERDAM – Under Dutch presidency, the European Union will decide in
December whether candidate member Turkey receives a date on which
negotiations can begin for accession. The case is sensitive politically
because, among other factors, Turkey is a Muslim state, as written in a
recent report of the Scientific Council for Government Policy. It is also
notable that politicians scrupulously avoid the debate on the concealed
Turkish genocide of 1915 on 1.5 million Armenians. Wrongly, finds Hilmar
Kaiser, who was promoted at the European University in Florence after
studying Turkish archives on this matter. Kaiser is prohibited by the
Turkish authorities to carry out further archival research. Nevertheless the
Turkey expert is optimistic at this moment. Recently he spoke about his
research in Amsterdam.
– How do you estimate the chances of recognition of the genocide?
“To approach the EU Ankara has already done serious work on the Kurdish
problem and the Cyprus question. Judging the capabilities of Erdogan and
Gül, the current political leaders, I expect that the government will carry
out very generous solutions for the Armenian question. I think, however,
that they still need some time, because otherwise, in the eyes of the
military leaders, there will be too much confusion. It must, however, happen
before Turkey becomes an EU member. I have high hope that this will happen
as well.”
– What is the basis for your hope?
“This is the first government that in fact breaks with the kemalists, the
followers of Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey, who radically enforced
the separation of Church and State. Apart from the opposition, the current
politicians have nothing to do with people who have the genocide on their
conscience. Erdogan and Gül are ordinary Muslims. Their supporters originate
from people who had then saved Armenians with danger for their own lives.
This government has, as far as I know, no links with the mafia, the military
elite, the secret service and the media industry.”
– You are now referring to the car accident in Susurluk in 1996.
“Yes. A high police force officer, a member of Parliament, a mafia boss and
a beauty diva were involved. Then it became clear how the Turkish
establishment is interwoven with criminal gangs. This government has nothing
to do with that and has strong roots in a democratic tradition. Therefore, I
do not think that there are still reasons to keep Turkey outside the EU in
the long run, especially if Erdogan recognizes the genocide. Because I do
not see another government doing it so soon. Moreover this will help Turkey
enormously.”
– In which respect?
“Erdogan is able to push the door open for a completely new future for
Turkey and also for the Caucasus Region. He will not do that primarily to
please the EU, but out of personal interest. Because in the long run I see a
leading role for Turkey in the whole region. I consider Erdogan able to do
so. With the recognition of the Armenian genocide Turkey also provides
itself with the legitimacy to develop into a real regional power.
Recognition is in the Turkish interest. Problems do not get solved by
blurring or by denying them.”
– What stops Turkey then?
“Not Erdogan, because he is in fact pleading for renewal and emancipation.
You still find the opponents in all parts of the state apparatus and in the
current opposition party CHP. That party depicts Erdogan’s party AKP as
Muslim fundamentalist that tries to frustrate the reforms. CHP represents
the tradition of the genocide committers, Young-Turks, who for more than
eighty years had the power and up to 1950 sat in the government and owned
the banks. Their ideas are also widespread under Turks in Europe. They still
play the same game, but they are losing their influence.”
– This sounds like a revolution.
“This is exactly so. At this moment a lot is happening in Turkey and that is
a delicate process. AKP finds its basis among the ordinary population in
Eastern Turkey. It is striking that exactly this Muslim government releases
the Kurdish human rights activist Leyla Zana. A kemalist government would
never do that.”
– New York Life recently reached a settlement of millions with Armenian
heirs because of unpaid policies.
“This can be compared to the Jewish credit balances. There are more
financial institutions with genocide money, both abroad and in Turkey
itself. With the Armenian properties state ventures were established that
still exist today. The Turkish government must take the initiative to blow
off the lid. Transparency in companies is, in this respect, a condition for
economic and democratic development in that region. This matter should not
be seen in terms of what it costs, but in terms of new chances. That will
also make Turkey more attractive for foreign investors.”
– In the West too the term “genocide” concerning Armenians is sometimes
avoided. How do you see that?
“That is politically motivated. It was the first modern genocide, complete
with strategy and medical experiments. And also concerning the number of 1.5
million no doubt can exist. I’ll spare you the details.”
PHOTO: In Guzelyurt, Cappadocia, the party offices of ex-Prime Minister
Ecevit and Prime Minister Erdogan are next to each other. FRISO SPOELSTRA/HH