Even though it is not an easy task to unify Armenians around a common set of restitutive demands from Turkey, it is critical to do so on the eve of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.
It is imperative that Armenians speak with one voice, telling the world what exactly they want from Turkey, because divergent demands send a confusing message. Some Armenians would be satisfied with a simple acknowledgment of the genocide and apology from the Turkish government. Others are after financial restitution, open borders, Black Sea access, and the return of Mount Ararat. Maximalists, including this author, demand everything that Armenians lost during the genocide: restitution for the murders of 1.5 million Armenians, and recovery of their properties, bank accounts, churches, schools, cemeteries, and territories of Western Armenia. In previous columns, I have advocated the use of the general term “seeking justice” to summarize all Armenian demands from Turkey.
Being a maximalist implies not only reclaiming everything Armenians lost during the genocide, but also employing an optimum negotiating strategy. Why ask for the minimum and end up with even less? Wouldn’t it be wiser to begin with maximal demands and strike the best possible bargain?
These were some of my thoughts as I read the well-written commentary of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, titled “Turkey should reconcile with its own past,” published in the French newspaper Le Figaro last week. He correctly labels as “fabricated” and “misleading” the recent use of the terms “common pain” and “just memory” by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish officials in reference to the Armenian Genocide. Nalbandian also rejects the Turkish proposal for a “commission of historians in order to find the truth” about the Armenian Genocide. Unfortunately, this sinister proposal was included in the Armenian-Turkish protocols of 2009, which the foreign minister continues to support in his article. Furthermore, rather than simply castigating Turkey for denying the Armenian Genocide and seeking “reconciliation” through “recognition and condemnation of the genocide,” the FM should have asked for “justice” that encompasses all Armenian demands.
At the end of his in-depth commentary, Nalbandian reminds Le Figaro readers that Armenian President Serge Sarkisian had invited Erdogan “to visit Armenia on April 24, 2015, on the occasion of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. We hope it will not be a missed opportunity and Turkey’s president will be in Yerevan on that day.”
Clearly, Armenia is trying to put the Turkish president in a difficult corner: He will either reject the invitation, making him look bad in the eyes of the world, or come to Armenia on April 24, 2015, and acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.
To pursue this clever scheme, the FM of Armenia took the unusual step of attending Erdogan’s Aug. 28 inauguration to hand over Sarkisian’s formal invitation. Nalbandian’s Ankara visit came right after Erdogan insulted Armenians by complaining on Turkish television that some people called him Georgian, and “even worse, they called me an Armenian.”
I seriously doubt that Erdogan would show up in Yerevan on the Armenian Genocide Centennial. If he does not, Armenian officials would be elated that their ploy worked, making Erdogan look like an obstructionist. But, what if the Turkish president does come to Armenia on April 24, 2015? Erdogan may say and do a lot of outlandish things, but he is a wily politician who can easily evade the Armenian trap and turn the tables on his hosts. He could go to the Genocide Memorial Monument in Yerevan and announce that he has come to “share the pain” of all victims of World War I, including Turks. That would be a great public relations coup for Erdogan!
Just last week, Erdogan took a tough stand against Armenia during his visit to Azerbaijan. He told Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (for the thousandth time) that Turkey will not open its borders with Armenia until the latter withdraws from Karabagh (Artsakh). The newly appointed Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made similar, harsh anti-Armenian remarks. In return, Aliyev pledged to support Turkey in “exposing the fictional Armenian Genocide.”
It is clear that Turkey and Azerbaijan are escalating their rhetoric and planning joint efforts against Armenia rather than looking for reconciliation. Under these circumstances, Armenia should take an equally tough stand against the two hostile Turkic states, starting with the immediate withdrawal of Armenia’s signature from the Armenian-Turkish protocols.
Harut Sassounian
Mr. Sassounian, if we really want to be maximalist. Why do we close our eyes in front of the denial of scholars like Hilmar Kaiser? Why have we not the courage to say that he is a paid agent of the Turkish government? What is our struggle, our fight for the Armenian rights worth if we have not the courage to say loud and in a clear voice: enough Mr. Kaiser!
To put it very bluntly,Mewssrs.Nalbandian´s and Serge Sargsyan´s invitation extended to pres-.Erdogan,also an outlandish move,to come to 100th Anniversary of the commemoration of Genocide comitted by Turkey´s previous Govt.s.
A Question.-Was Willy Brandt invited to go to Aushwitz by the Jews…or did he come upon his own initiative as a repentant…
One thing strikes bad here…our (RA Diplomacy is either in a haste to settle the Genocide Recognition and reparations issue,or in order to show to the world diplomacy that they have the know hpow how to make the Wily Turk repent and pay reparations.
As rgds to our actual main demand.I take it the best approach would be to go for BLOOD MONEY CLAIM for the 1.5 million Armenians salughtered.Like the Jews did from Democratic Germany , heir to Nazi Germany and received it. Land and all other demands can wait. land for one thing is mainly occupied by k u r d s .
if anything the Armenians overseas ought to get in touch w/latter´s govt. in exile in Brussels and negotiate from now,thus making great Turkey aware that we know how to handle diplomacy,if not from our reduced motherland , then at least from Diaspora.Best would be to to every act of 100th Anniversary commemoration in Conjunction with RA. All over the Globe Armenians should come out on the streets of important Armenian populated cities on April 24,2014.Also buy space in main media and insert important reminders of the Genocide.
Parev hasgcoghin