Vartan Oskanian: history not always gives humanity a second chance but we have it
27.04.2007
YEREVAN (YERKIR) - “For a long time we had been trying to immortalize the events of the beginning of the 20th century.
We were alone, since there were two variants of history: official and supposed, recognized and rejected. The ruined empire was replaced by a state with nearly deified self-consciousness. It could not be tolerant to a massacre; this was beyond comprehension.
By this very reason a new history was invented, a history without tragic events. The verdicts of the military courts were eliminated. Evidences of missionaries and diplomats were questioned,” Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in Brussels when addressing a soiree in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
The Armenian Minister said events of the kind are very important for prevention of escalation of genocides from Bosnia to Rwanda and Darfur. He also welcomed a Turkish intellectual, who said, “I am not to blame for what was done 90 years ago but I am responsible for what can be done today.”
Modern Turkey should be divided from the Ottoman Empire, according to Vartan Oskanian “However I should mention that if it’s possible when speaking of the 1915 events it becomes more and more difficult when the matter concerns Turkey’s policy of denial. How is it possible to divide two states when they propagandize the same ideology? Denialist ideology is shameful.
The later Turkey addresses its past and divides its conduct from the Empire’s deeds the harder it will be to explain the public that these are two different states,” Minister Oskanian said. “Armenia and Turkey are neighbors and will remain as such. We have a common border and we can advance together only. History not always gives the humanity a second chance but we do have such. Europe is a place where people draw whatever they need to advance.
It’s the place where former enemies can condemn events and politics but by no means people. On the contrary, the peoples of Europe pace from hatred towards reconciliation and accept the future openly. That’s what we want in our region,” Vartan Oskanian resumed, PanARMENIAN.Net reported.
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.
YEREVAN (YERKIR) - “For a long time we had been trying to immortalize the events of the beginning of the 20th century.
We were alone, since there were two variants of history: official and supposed, recognized and rejected. The ruined empire was replaced by a state with nearly deified self-consciousness. It could not be tolerant to a massacre; this was beyond comprehension.
By this very reason a new history was invented, a history without tragic events. The verdicts of the military courts were eliminated. Evidences of missionaries and diplomats were questioned,” Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in Brussels when addressing a soiree in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
The Armenian Minister said events of the kind are very important for prevention of escalation of genocides from Bosnia to Rwanda and Darfur. He also welcomed a Turkish intellectual, who said, “I am not to blame for what was done 90 years ago but I am responsible for what can be done today.”
Modern Turkey should be divided from the Ottoman Empire, according to Vartan Oskanian “However I should mention that if it’s possible when speaking of the 1915 events it becomes more and more difficult when the matter concerns Turkey’s policy of denial. How is it possible to divide two states when they propagandize the same ideology? Denialist ideology is shameful.
The later Turkey addresses its past and divides its conduct from the Empire’s deeds the harder it will be to explain the public that these are two different states,” Minister Oskanian said. “Armenia and Turkey are neighbors and will remain as such. We have a common border and we can advance together only. History not always gives the humanity a second chance but we do have such. Europe is a place where people draw whatever they need to advance.
It’s the place where former enemies can condemn events and politics but by no means people. On the contrary, the peoples of Europe pace from hatred towards reconciliation and accept the future openly. That’s what we want in our region,” Vartan Oskanian resumed, PanARMENIAN.Net reported.
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: Armenia and Turkey, Genocide Recognition
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