[Comment] Turkish-Armenian reconciliation is not far away
19.10.2006 - 15:01 CET By Bahadir Kaleagasi
EUOBSERVER / COMMENT - The European Parliament, the European Commission, the majority of the European and French media, intellectuals, historians and jurists have pointed out that the recognition of an Armenian genocide is not a legal process. I agree with that.
To impose it as a new pre-condition to Turkey's EU membership would be counter-productive and unjust. This is also the view of the Turkish citizens of Armenian origin. Patriarch Mesrob II and the intellectual leader Mr Hrant Dink are very clear on this.
As Mr Dink pointed out several times to the media, "it is immoral to take advantage of the debate on the Armenian genocide to create new obstacles for Turkey's EU membership process."
The Armenians of the Ottoman Empire suffered terribly during World War I. This was a very difficult era of human history with rising nationalisms, falling empires and geo-strategic games over the oil resources of the Middle East and the Caspian Sea.
I share the pain of the Armenians and understand them extremely well, being the descendents of peoples who suffered immensly during those years.
It is a clear disinformation to claim that Turkey is in denial towards this human tragedy, however. Several court cases and condemnations took place during the last years of the Ottoman Empire on this issue.
Blow to freedom of expression
The Turkish parliament in a recent resolution called for the establishment of an international and independent committee of historians to examine the whole truth and to find out about the responsibilities of all government officials from all countries concerned in the loss of innocent Armenian lives during World War I.
Probably, it is around the term of "genocide" that an intellectual blockage occurs in the minds and positions of all parties - because it reminds one of the Holocaust which was another horrible event, but of another nature.
Actually, Turkish Armenians are part of the Turkish republican and secular society. Moreover, there are more than 100,000 immigrant workers from the Republic of Armenia in Turkey.
They usually work as baby-sitters, nurses or in other services which require close human contact and deep mutual confidence.
There are a lot of reasons why some Armenian voices on the genocide are wrong.
Not only could they further fan anti-Muslim feelings in France and in Europe, they could also be a blow to freedom of expression - not exactly the standard that EU members want to adopt while lecturing Turkey about being ever more respectful of human rights and democratic norms.
A dozen European countries have laws against denying the Holocaust. Those laws are based on the threat posed by die-hard anti-Semites who still subscribe to Hitler's racist theories.
The Armenian question poses no such dangers in Europe. Playing politics with it trivialises not only the Holocaust, but also the Armenian tragedy. Turkish and Armenian peoples are culturally close to each other and share a common past and a common geo-strategic destiny.
Reconciliation is not far away
This is why I am confident that reconciliation is not far away. This also is why any aggressive and non-constructive attack against Turkey is harmful to this process. The reconciliation will naturally happen within Turkey's EU integration process.
This can only happen in a European atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding rather than via aggressive accusations.
Some positions and actions of certain political segments in France on this issue serve only the interests of ultranationalists in Armenia and anti-Europeanists in Turkey - for example the proposed law passed by the French National Assembly on criminalising different opinions on the Armenian victims in the Ottoman Empire.
Many prominent French historians, jurists and other intellectuals have already expressed their concerns about this. Let me just emphasise once more that Turkish and Armenian peoples will find their historical reconciliation. The European integration process can contribute to this achievement.
Initiatives to divert Turkey from the EU process or to introduce anti-democratic laws are by definition gifts to ultranationalism and an invitation to further conflicts.
The European integration process is a great achievement of the 20th century. Let's take the example of this visionary project to continue to overcome the remaining problems of our small European continent.
The same vision, rationalism and wisdom is required to reach reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey. As global citizens of the 21st century, we have the responsibility to face our common destiny and common future peacefully, respectfully, rationally and without prejudice to each other's dignity.
Bahadir Kaleagasi is the representative to the EU of TUSIAD - Turkish Industrialists' & Business Association. The article represents his personal view.
Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.
EUOBSERVER / COMMENT - The European Parliament, the European Commission, the majority of the European and French media, intellectuals, historians and jurists have pointed out that the recognition of an Armenian genocide is not a legal process. I agree with that.
To impose it as a new pre-condition to Turkey's EU membership would be counter-productive and unjust. This is also the view of the Turkish citizens of Armenian origin. Patriarch Mesrob II and the intellectual leader Mr Hrant Dink are very clear on this.
As Mr Dink pointed out several times to the media, "it is immoral to take advantage of the debate on the Armenian genocide to create new obstacles for Turkey's EU membership process."
The Armenians of the Ottoman Empire suffered terribly during World War I. This was a very difficult era of human history with rising nationalisms, falling empires and geo-strategic games over the oil resources of the Middle East and the Caspian Sea.
I share the pain of the Armenians and understand them extremely well, being the descendents of peoples who suffered immensly during those years.
It is a clear disinformation to claim that Turkey is in denial towards this human tragedy, however. Several court cases and condemnations took place during the last years of the Ottoman Empire on this issue.
Blow to freedom of expression
The Turkish parliament in a recent resolution called for the establishment of an international and independent committee of historians to examine the whole truth and to find out about the responsibilities of all government officials from all countries concerned in the loss of innocent Armenian lives during World War I.
Probably, it is around the term of "genocide" that an intellectual blockage occurs in the minds and positions of all parties - because it reminds one of the Holocaust which was another horrible event, but of another nature.
Actually, Turkish Armenians are part of the Turkish republican and secular society. Moreover, there are more than 100,000 immigrant workers from the Republic of Armenia in Turkey.
They usually work as baby-sitters, nurses or in other services which require close human contact and deep mutual confidence.
There are a lot of reasons why some Armenian voices on the genocide are wrong.
Not only could they further fan anti-Muslim feelings in France and in Europe, they could also be a blow to freedom of expression - not exactly the standard that EU members want to adopt while lecturing Turkey about being ever more respectful of human rights and democratic norms.
A dozen European countries have laws against denying the Holocaust. Those laws are based on the threat posed by die-hard anti-Semites who still subscribe to Hitler's racist theories.
The Armenian question poses no such dangers in Europe. Playing politics with it trivialises not only the Holocaust, but also the Armenian tragedy. Turkish and Armenian peoples are culturally close to each other and share a common past and a common geo-strategic destiny.
Reconciliation is not far away
This is why I am confident that reconciliation is not far away. This also is why any aggressive and non-constructive attack against Turkey is harmful to this process. The reconciliation will naturally happen within Turkey's EU integration process.
This can only happen in a European atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding rather than via aggressive accusations.
Some positions and actions of certain political segments in France on this issue serve only the interests of ultranationalists in Armenia and anti-Europeanists in Turkey - for example the proposed law passed by the French National Assembly on criminalising different opinions on the Armenian victims in the Ottoman Empire.
Many prominent French historians, jurists and other intellectuals have already expressed their concerns about this. Let me just emphasise once more that Turkish and Armenian peoples will find their historical reconciliation. The European integration process can contribute to this achievement.
Initiatives to divert Turkey from the EU process or to introduce anti-democratic laws are by definition gifts to ultranationalism and an invitation to further conflicts.
The European integration process is a great achievement of the 20th century. Let's take the example of this visionary project to continue to overcome the remaining problems of our small European continent.
The same vision, rationalism and wisdom is required to reach reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey. As global citizens of the 21st century, we have the responsibility to face our common destiny and common future peacefully, respectfully, rationally and without prejudice to each other's dignity.
Bahadir Kaleagasi is the representative to the EU of TUSIAD - Turkish Industrialists' & Business Association. The article represents his personal view.
Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.
Labels: Genocide Denial Law
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