I was privileged to attend a special program in Beirut last Friday, sponsored by the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Lebanon and dedicated to the publication of my new book in Arabic, Armenia-Turkey Protocols: Truth or Deception? The book is the compilation of 43 columns I had written in the California Courier in the last three years on the controversial protocols.
After introductory remarks by George Sabounjian of the local ANC, Dr. Nora Arissian of Damascus, Syria, the translator of the book, asserted that the columns had exposed the Turkish government’s fake intent. She reminded the audience that the author had accurately predicted at the outset of the negotiations that Turkey would not keep its promise to ratify the protocols and lift the blockade of Armenia.
Arissian was followed by veteran Lebanese Minister Michel Edde, who had written a lengthy and insightful introduction to the book. Edde held five ministerial posts during his long and distinguished career in various Lebanese cabinets. In his remarks, he commended the author for his analytical columns, praised the Armenian community of Lebanon for its active role in the country’s progress, and condemned Turkey for its denial of the Armenian Genocide. At the end of his remarks, Edde surprised the audience by announcing a generous and unexpected personal contribution of $25,000 to the ANC of Lebanon.
The evening’s program was conducted in Arabic, given the fact that there were Arab guests in the audience and the book was intended for Arab leaders and masses. I was gratified to be able to deliver a portion of my remarks in Arabic. Surprisingly, I still remembered the Arabic I had learned over 40 years ago as a student at the local Sophia Hagopian High School.
I reminded the attendees that the Turkish government’s true intent was to exploit the protocols and pressure Armenia into giving up its pursuit of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and create a smokescreen of peaceful negotiations so that other countries, particularly the United States, would be warned not to undermine the make-believe reconciliation and budding relationship by recognizing the genocide.
In addition, Turkey wanted Armenia to return Nagorno Karabagh (Artsakh) to Azerbaijan’s control and give up its demands for Western Armenia (which is currently under Turkish occupation), and tried to undermine overall Armenian unity by pitting the diaspora against the homeland.
Doggedly pursuing its intent to extract additional concessions from Armenia, the Turkish government kept refusing to ratify the protocols it had signed two years ago. Failing to accomplish its self-serving objectives, the Turkish Parliament recently took the final step to kill the protocols by removing them from its agenda, citing a technicality.
This failed experiment of the Armenia-Turkey protocols clearly proves that Turkey is more interested in playing diplomatic games and creating false impressions than pursuing peaceful co-existence. Turkish commitments cannot be taken seriously and Turkey’s leaders’ signatures on international agreements are not worth the paper they are written on.
In my remarks, I pointed out that Turkish leaders have been presenting themselves as defenders of the Palestinian cause, and supporters of all Arabs and Muslims, while continuing to be Israel’s strategic partner, and covertly sharing with it some of the most sensitive military secrets of Arab countries.
In my opinion, Palestinians and Arabs in general do not need the fake friendship of Turkey’s neo-Ottoman leaders. The Arab masses must demand that their own indigenous leaders, not self-serving foreign rulers, defend their national interests.
We just saw how Turkey sided with the despotic regimes in Egypt and Libya until the very last moment, when the dictators of these countries were about to be toppled. This is not genuine friendship. This is crass opportunism.
Since Arabs and Armenians have both experienced horrendous suffering and atrocities under the Ottoman yoke, they cannot be easily fooled by dishonest Turkish gestures of rapprochement. The survivors of the Armenian Genocide were the grateful beneficiaries of Arab hospitality throughout the Middle East. Without such humanitarian intervention, many more Armenians would have perished.
I ended my remarks by expressing my gratitude to Minister Edde for writing an inspiring introduction to my book, and to Arissian, who spent countless hours painstakingly translating it (as well as my previous book on the Armenian Genocide) from English to Arabic. I also thanked the ANC of Lebanon for hosting the evening’s program at the Pyunic Hall of Aztag newspaper, and the Hamazkayin Publishing House for publishing the book. I expressed my special gratitude to benefactor Gabriel Chemberjian and his Pyunic Foundation for sponsoring the book’s translation and publication. At the end of the program, signed copies of the book were distributed to the guests.
Harut Sassounian
Bravo Sassounian for the book in Arabic. I was present and it was a unique gathering.
If the approach of Turkey vis-a-vis Arabs is genuine tomorrow Arab countries will ask Turkey to return to the Arabic ALPHABEE
Turkey has excellent relations with Lebanon. Lebanese are not like Armenians, they are smart, easy-going people. They can get over history. Turkish TV series are a big hit in Lebanon. Turkey is also a favorite location for Lebanese tourists and many Turkish people also visit Lebanon. It could also happen with Armenia but unfortunately Armenians are obsessed with history and busy with anti-Turkish propaganda. As a start for example, you can try to stop calling Turks barbaric or Mongols (Armenians use it as an insult).
Mert
Why do you want to hide true color of your nation?
Mert, you have a point. But what do you call the near annihilation of a people and the utter emptying of them from their homeland followed by no acknowledgment, no apology, no compensation, distorted history taught in schools, pressuring/bribing scholars and politicians to distort and deny history, closing borders, Article 301, murder of Hrant Dink, unlawful confiscation of property, destruction of property, denial of heritage, continued oppression of minorities, etc., What’s so civilized about that? Turkey can still do much to show that it upholds the democratic values of other ‘civilized nations.’ Don’t blame Armenians for the smear that comes from the undemocratic policies of your own nation’s government.
And Lebanese go on vacation to Turkey, not because it’s Turkey, but because Asia Minor is a beautiful part of the world full of history and spirituality! Don’t try to take credit for that, too. Many nations came before Turks, to call those lands their home and their ancestors have not forgotten. The architectural and archaelogical marvels that draw people to Turkey were not created by Turks. The mystique of history which fills the senses there had many more sources than Seljuks and Osmanlis. Try to broaden your understanding and have some appreciation for the nations that came before you and gave Asia Minor it’s unique flavors and Turkey much of its culture today.
What is so civilized about taking credit for the blood and sweat of others labors? Any bully can do that.
Mert:
Where are the origins of the Turkish nation? Are they not in the Mongolian steppes and the Mountains of Altay? What so offends you when people point to where your nation originally belonged? It clearly never before the Seljuk intrusions of the 11th century AD belonged in Asia Minor or the Armenian Plateau.
About ‘barbarian’. I’ve never seen any Armenian calling a modern Turk a barbarian. However, according to you, the physical extermination of a whole people in its most gruesome indescribable forms of savagery by your Ottomoan Ittihadist forefathers was barbarism or endearment?
P.S. The Lebanese people were not subjected to genocide by the Turks to get over it. Armenians were.
All above is deja vue.We see it on Armenian H1 T.V., USArmenia T.V. and Shant T.V.
it is good though for those who do not have access to above communications.
One difference though , that this has with above is you can come across people like MERT, whether a masked Turk or an Armenian trying to initiate more discussions and find out how some of us react to people who are Contra. Good.
What I see in all above is same old methods of Armenian approaches towards our Cause, nay Case. We are not moving.Simply put , we are still employing old tools as rgds Cause-Case. What would I suggest.
!. Re-organize our Diaspora around a Super Structure.
2.Encourage our BAR Association-w/500 or more members to prepare an ample File Dossier to initiate CLAIM as to enormous damages sustained by our forfathers.Loss of Life-in the first place- in my view denominated as BLOOD MONEY-like the Jews received,then others such as real estate-land personal land churches monasterries schools etc., destroyed and land beneath confiscatesd etc.
3.Draw up serious plans for Re Patriation.In this connection some still insist it is the Homeland and its Govt that should take it upon itself to realize it.Totally erroneous and unrealizable, sionce what Govt. does is copy other present contemporaries and forge ahead with some real and many more Aesthetic reforms.In short, do not expect that Govt. of Armenia initiate and FUND that.Think seriously and frankly admit aforemnetioned.
4.Who then can realize that…US of course if we gather around, no Not our dear politico-read political parties.They are busy and have been along with others such a scompatriotic, benevolent , etc., establishments,to whom we bow and thank them,wishing them success.BUT WE NEED a NEW Concept of POWER.
5.This resides-as to my humble viewpoint- in the HUGE Collectivities of our Professional Colleagues Associations-5 on the scene already- 10 more to be established around the other PCA”S THEN THROUGH THESE PEOPLE A 100,000 strong , meaning Homeland and diaspora, can indeed be organzied and through Inter-Professional Colleagues Associations invite the politico and Spiritual fathers to join up and create our Central councils of all community countries and then on to the supreme Council of Diaspora, with 5 Departments.
A. Legal Political oin Strasbourg, Fr. aloingside RA delegations
B. Executive in NY next to RA permanent Delegate -not sitting with him them but in same town
C. Economic Supreme council in Geneva, CH with 15 Offices of the PCA’s to coordinates Aid to RA/Artsakh-when Fund is created.
D. National Investment Trust Fund at above,Nucleus of which -i.e. working capital*by our 5/6 magnates then all the way down to thousand and One hundred dollars INVESTORS, not donors.Our people are tired of donating.Monetary experts of the Magnates-Board, will invest in secure GTovt. Bonds , with dividends of say 5%,then pay , half to investors rest to be added to Capital.15 yrs loans at low interest rates.
To small entresprenerus farmers
E. First Loans will be for those Repatriating for 10/15 yurs again low interst.All above can be worked out through econimists that we do not lack, in Middle East MBouldouklian comes to mind and others in eU, USA Etc.,
Question is are we ready for the MOBILIZATION,or still thinbking only in Ledaership to be elected , Electionms issues..
This, can be had alongside the money spending campaigns, as ionm the world,plus tohe politico pfresenting their candidates.PLUS THIS TIME OVER FROM THE ABOVE 100 thousand PCAS, presenting their delegates electede for MERITS they have in each Group profession ,not for said Methods only.In parallel with that.For I do realize to completely do it thrpough PCAS and go against curent ,is impossible.they will continue, target the man on the street so to speak or the rural areas in Ra etc., We should have ours alongside.
very well said Boyajian.
You think your turkish think lies and propaganda will get you anywhere? you will ALWAYS be considered the same old criminals and barbarians.
the world knows you criminals very well. you only succeed in fooling one another other.
Mert, ” Lebanese people are easy going.” Yep, you can say that again. Check this out:
20 years of civil war, 300,000 people dead (some estimates put the toll in higher bracket), 550,000 people displaced, exodus of over one million people, multi factional Lebanon ; Kataebs, Ahrars, Michel Aoun loyals, saad Haddad loyals, Joumblat, franjieh, Shamoun, hizbollah, South Lebanon Army, pro-Syrian Forces in the North…Yep, other than that Lebanese people are easy going.
Dear Gaytzag Palandjian, your points are very well taken and have been my own ideas for many years. Being involvbed in Armenian communities, I found one major problem. That is most Armenians have lost their abstract thinking. However, once they see the wheel is turning then they would try to push and pull it. The only way we can do what you and certainly I dream about is that few individual must get together and file an action against Turks and et al. Then, I believe, slowly other will join.
I have gone to Law School just for this purpose. I am sure we will succeed to return Western Armenia within next 20 years. Viva Armenia!