Middle East ANC Conference Addresses Turkey’s Growing Influence in Region

BEIRUT, Lebanon—Leaders and members of Armenian National Committee (ANC) chapters of the Middle East gathered in Bourdj Hammoud, Lebanon, Sunday for a one-day conference that addressed the current challenges facing Armenians in the Middle East, given Turkey’s efforts to exert political influence in the region, reported the Aztag daily.

“At this juncture, taking into consideration the political developments in the region and given Turkey’s growing penetration in the region, we decided to organize this conference in order to consult with one another and discuss this issue,” said Middle East ANC director Vera Yacoubian.

Yacoubian explained that the conference’s goal was to develop a new strategy in light of Turkey’s increasing presence in the region and how that reality can impact ANC activities in the Middle East.

The ANC leader emphasized that even in Lebanon, where the Armenian community is an integral part of Lebanese society, Turkey’s recent overtures foreshadow growing challenges and obstacles for Armenian communities and ANC efforts, similar to other Middle Eastern countries.

The conference participants, which included representatives from Syria, Iran, Egypt, Kuwait, and the Persian Gulf regions, discussed the pursuit of the Armenian cause in the Arab world, where there are varying approaches and challenges. The imperative for the pursuit of Armenian issues was emphasized by all participants of the conference.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau member Levon Mkrtchyan was on hand to address the importance of the conference given the increasing level of Turkey’s anti-Armenian posturing and its manifestations in Turkey’s dealings with its neighboring states.

Mkrtchyan pointed to the so-called neo-Ottomanism, which has become a driving point for Turkey’s foreign policy and the importance of that approach within the Arab world. He emphasized that, more than ever, there is a need for concrete approaches when working in countries that have played host to genocide survivors.

He said the Armenians of the Middle East must be able to defend the community’s historic rights, but take into consideration the sensitivities and approaches within each country.

Turkey’s growing role, as well as its close relations with the Arab world, poses new challenges for the Armenian people. This, the conference concluded, requires a focused and committed approach to the pursuit of the Armenian cause in this area of the world.

3 Comments

  1. PRECISELY!!!
    I just posted  a writ below Dr.Henry Astarjian´s recent article published in the Armenian Weekly,wherein he delves mainly on Israeli Turkey recent cooling,brings reasons etc.,also latter´s latest moves towards the arab countries. He downplays Israel more than necessary,since if one follows  news w/rgd to Armenia on a daily basis, would have  also noticed  Israel´s Ambassador to Armenia(w/cede in Moscow hinting on his latest visit to Yerevan, that they may soon appoint one in Yerevan. Himself an Iraqui AArmenian is very well versed in that area´s and some of neighbouring other arab countries,forgetting that Abdel Nasser could not forge an Egypt-Syria partnership for good.it was short  lived,for arabs differ from ea  other as well.
    Time for Armenians in all diaspora communities Especially  is to cooperate(no need ,like some advocate unify,we showed  in Lebanon couple decades ago that in time of danger we are UNITED.We need Cooperation  more  than anything now and enhancement  of ties with Armenina  more  than ever.in this respect, a good idea will be  that  5 permanent co-Ministres of Diaspora  be  delegated from N.and S.Americas,Europe, Russia and Middle east tobe in yerevan and cooperate  amongst  themselves and Armenia minsitre.For latter´s knowledge  of  aforementioned and their tendencies,needs and or a coordinated  AID TOWARS ARMENIA,especially a  NEW REPATRIATION,is imperative.We need to form into professional Colleagues Associations,-FIVE on the scene- need ten more  to coem  upt to 100,000 strong PCA´s members and through them establish the “National investment Trust Fund”  Nucleus of which by our 5/6 Magnates,then Millioniares and down to 1000 dollars investors.In Geneva,CH, a permanent National fund.For without funds we cannot speak of a Repatriation and re-population of the(by the) near Abroad  Armenians first and then the rest to Artsakh RA.

  2. Why are you people so afraid of turkeys power ?
    I tell you why because the whole western civilization and power is collapsing.U.S influence in the world is already declining Ron Paul propably the only non Zionist non corporotist politician in U.S congress openly admitted that u.s will soon be forced to pull back from middle east and from all over the world since its economy and internal struggles(super high birth rate of ethnic minorities primarly hispanics,collapsed real estate market, class struggle) wont allow america to interfere  to others business. The same is happening to europe as well.Countries like Turkey , Iran Brazil are emerging as new big economies
    Why do you think there was a g20 summit instead of a g8
    My point is Armenians of the diaspora who live in wealthy western countries will soon have the same living standards as their relatives in Armenia. And by that i mean they will get worse,far worse.its kind a tragic when i see xxxyan bashing turkey, muslims
    insulting turkish ethnicity calling us asiatics when in the mean time i see dozens of armenians moving to my country legal or otherwise and to azerbaijan and georgia so forth.I never liked seeing other peoples misery but with arrogance like that from armenians abroad i kinda like whats happening to the world.I really want normalization of our relationship and i want turkey to admit the genocide of armenians and armenians to admit the autrocities they have comited against the muslim population in anatolia
     Adios

  3. Deniz — You admit that Turkey has committed genocide of the Armenians, yet you pose a question as to why we bash your state. It’s not arrogance, it’s a pain for the millions of murdered innocent lives, lost historical homeland, stolen cultural monuments, pastures, properties, bank accounts, and insurance indemnities. It’s a pain because on the state level your government for 95 years continues to deny the crime of genocide that the increasing number of foreign governments and international organizations admit. Why is it so hard to understand that we have a great injustice still awaiting settlement, reparations, and land restitution? It’s not arrogance.
     
    As for “bashing Muslims”, did you make this up or someone else helped you? Christian Armenians have no problems with Muslims, whatsoever. Armenians have a problem with Turks. Cheap attempts to spread our indignation towards your state on the rest of the Muslim world are useless, Deniz. Your neighbors in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Emirates, etc. know Armenians too well and treat us with great respect and admiration for our loyalty and our contributions to the development of these states. So, drop these Turkish cheap tricks… Don’t make yourself a laughingstock.
     
    We’re not “insulting” Turkish ethnicity by calling you Asiatics, we just invite your attention to the fact that Asia Minor, where indigenous peoples like Greeks, Assyrians, and Armenians lived, was never the Turkish homeland. You are newcomers from Central Asian steppes of Mongolia and Altay Mountains. It’s a historical fact not an insult.
     
    Also, dozens of Armenians are not actually “moving” to your country, they are mostly gastarbeiters, but their number pales before millions of Turks actually moving to Germany. Look at yourselves in the mirror first…
     
    As for Armenians whom you wish “to admit the atrocities they have committed against the Muslim population in Anatolia,” can you refer me to any known crime of state-planned and executed genocide that Armenians have committed against Muslims? Curious to know… The world doesn’t know of such a historical fact, but maybe you do?
     
    Lastly, there has never been such a toponym as “Anatolia,” Deniz. It’s a new creation in the best Turkish tradition to Turkify the lands, cultural structures, and names of other, civilized peoples. In the annals of history the area is known as Asia Minor, just like ancient Christian Byzantine capital of Constantinople was never known as “Istanbul” and Armenian Biblical mountain of Ararat was never known as “Agri Dag”. When a nation doesn’t have its own identity, it steals everything from other nations. Pointing to this fact is not arrogance, it’s an invitation to the Turks like you to open your eyes and see what your nation actually represents of itself…

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