News

New US Pressure on Turkey to Return Stolen Religious Properties

Secretary Clinton Offers Written Assurance to ANCA that U.S. is Pressing Turkish Government to Restore Confiscated Properties WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has welcomed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's first-ever public assertion that the U.S. government is actively pressing the highest levels of the Turkish government to restore confiscated properties to religious communities. [caption id="attachment_16175" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Hillar

Already a subscriber?Log in here

This story is FREE for you...

Create a free account to access this and four more articles, and get more sent to you with our e-newsletter.

Or, subscribe now for unlimited access
By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.

15 Comments

  1. In other words, Obama and Hillary Clinton want you to vote for him and Democrats in 2012  just because she sent some belated letter to Turkey – that she has no intention of following up on.

    I am waiting for another endorsement of Obama.  We Armenian Americans have not learned our lesson.

  2. You Armenian Americans have not learned your lesson. That is true. You endorse a democrat president, he lets you down. Then you endorse a republican, he disappoints you more… If I were you, I would vote for an independent candidate. He will surely use the magical “G” word. :-)

  3. Re: Confiscated  properties:-Note, I´m not dwelling  on Ahmet  or Marvin´s having diverted from main issue she has pointed at ,which refers to RETURN  OF CONFISCATED  PROPERTIES  (of Armenians,Greeks ,Assyrians, etc. ) by present Turkish authorities to proper  owners. These two gentlemen  above  have somehow diverted  from submject matter to (again) G.word. Whaat I am about to relate  below, relates to precisely to her declaration.  In a previous post I think, when she has sided with us,I did remark ¨her  good stock American part must  have reacted¨to that  effect.
    Indeed, it  is a heartening  ¨change  of course¨, coming  form the FM (secretary  of state)  of the U.S.  We should welcome  that and priase  her  for being on our side now!!  Times  are a bit   deceptive these days, what  with Spring Revolutions  in N.Africa, the Middle  East and  great Turkey, trying hard once  more  to take centrestage therein.
    With this post/writing, I wish to bring  to attention that  things are indeed happening in Turkey in parallel with  Mr. Erdogan´s continued  efforts  to break through with  his Agenda, which as above indicated  is to act more ¨officailly¨ shall we say in said areas.
    Now, what  sort  of changes are prevailing as regards Turkey´s interior state  affairs.
    AS above title  attests  RETURN  OF CONFISCATED  PROPERTIES. I do see  that  on 5 Armenian T.V. channels  taking place and/ or  press releases, articles  therein.
    So far, so good!!!
    But then all of a sudden a ¨Reportage¨  Audio visual broadcast  on Armenian T.V. , H1 Govt. Channel, showing  city  of VAN. Showing around  the streets, parks , fountains etc., then focusing  on man sitting on a table(no doubt  a Gvt. official) INVITING  ARMENIANS  TO COME BACK AND LIVE  IN VAN AND VAN PROVINCE ,together with us…
    My short  commment in Armenian  now,shall translate  it too.¨YEGHAV? voch cheghav¨
    Did  it happen or will it?  No it won´t.Why so ?
    Because  that  land , with AGHTAMAR CHURCH BUIKLT  THERE BY ARMENIAN KING GAGIK 1000  YEARS AGO, plus many many others  CLEARLY ATTEST TO ONE FACT.
    Armenians  lived  there  for millenia, it  was  their HABITAT , you(turks) came in and conquered  it b y force. So, do you truly believe  that Any Armenian in his her  right  mind would wish to leave Uruguay,Argentina,U.s. Canada, France etc. come to live  with you there?
    Our ancestors  fought tooth and nails , but failed to throw  you out  of there. We can wait.Meanwhile   MAKE DO WITH KURDS  THERE(IF  YOU CAN) THEN WE SHALL SEE.
    As to Ms. Clintons Bienfaisence(Benevolence)  we thank  here  very much but trust  she will realize  that  above  problems exist and this slow move  to RETURN  of properties  , then Invitation  by mayors  of cities  such as Van are a way to blow dust into pour eyes-
    If they really wish to be good neighbours  with us (and kurds alike) they should justfully return lands  that surrounds  the confiscated  properties  to lawfull owners ,which nowadays  are  not  a RAYA  peopl any more  what  with a Nation/State and a Huge Diaspora. The  may wish to come and themselvdes-without   conquerers  therein-cultivize further  the lands, buinesses,industreis etc., by themselves. 

  4. CORRECTIONS!!! as to above  post.PLese excuse  the errors,as follows:-
    In last  paragraph:-
    ¨They may wish to come and themselves, cultivate  lands without the conquerers  therein. 

  5. The rights of minorities in the RoT shall be respected, but that does not mean the territorial soveirgnty of the RoT will be disrespected. Turkey will have a right to defend their territorial integrity. I am a Turkish/American with Pomak and Laz roots and I swear oath to supporting Turkey.

  6. Stev-o.. that is an odd name to pick.. but then again… who cares..

    do you know your history or you are just blurting out comments without realizing that YOUR TURKEY is not really yours??? that YOUR TURKEY was actually properties and lands of Armenians, and other Christians????  that the integirty of Turkey is non-existant because turkey and integrity are two words that go together….

     Ahmet-oglu– why don’t you use the word “GENOCIDE”.. are you afraid you will burn if you use the word in its entirity??? Are you afraid that your govt will pull you tongue out if you do??? guess you did learn your lesson well huh? the fear lesson… or the stupid lesson..       

  7. Thanks but no thank Hillary Clinton.. it is sooo obviousl from your letter that all you were doing is dangling a carrot in front of the Armenian community.. sorry but we are not buying… same tricks, same song and dance.. we are tired of your lies….

    Obama is not going to get my vote next election.. neither you…   

  8. Ahmet does kind of have a point though. Both parties care more about sucking up to Turkey than anything else. That’s why I’m voting third party.

  9. I do not see any problem in restoring and returning confiscated religious properties back into the hands of the remaining communities.  I can not see many Turks having a problem with it either.  It is long overdue.  In fact, it seems current government has already taken steps in that direction.  Where there is no such community to maintain or take over, then local governments should take on the responsibility.  This may even seed the future Greek, Armenian or other minority communities in these locations. It is the right thing to do.  Hopefully Armenian nationalists do not make it politically costly for the Turkish government to do the right thing.

  10. Steve  O, is  still thinking  imagining that Ermenis(rayas) from Diaspora will come back and live under  their bloody  flag eh? and that THEIR  TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY WILL NOT be disrespected..(same old phrasse  repeated by great Turkey and little brother Azerbaijan alike) . The may indeed succeed  in by and by opening   up a few  monasteries  left there  our  of near a thousand and even by and by ¨allow¨ Holy  Mass  to be conducted  thresay once  a  year, or   weel maybe twice  or on Armenian Holidays,St.name days…).But…what  does  that same act  of returning  these lead  the logically thinking  to?
    Why indeed,  that  those belonges to some people  called Ermeni…where are  they?
    what happened  to  them. Why all of a sudden  your conscions  has moved become kind? .No , we are  not that  simple Yavroum…..your Govt.  must collapse, like  those  in Egypt, Libya  and yet  others  , for  those did  not endure  either.What  makes  you think you can  ? especially what  with 18 million  k  u  r  d  s     on those  lands, who have recently again brought  up  the question   of  ¨¨Territorial  integrity¨. You cannot get them out  of  there…and this softening  up process(unleasheed  by  your allies,Allies?, they are  your bosses  who wish  their benefits  safe guarded, through  you acting as Genderme.But  not  only Genderms  and chiefs can face  destiny  such as col. Gaddafi  but also ¨paper  tigers¨ as well. Time to really come to terms , immediately return piece  of small arid  land around Ararat  and ruins  of aNI to lawfull owners, as a  true gesture  of intention to admit to Crime.By and by continue with return  of all lands around those  Monasteries  to lawfull owners and ionstead  of attacking  /harassing  k u r d s , also let  these people get part  of  land  that  WAS  their Habitat for millenia before  you Turks  invaded  it. Otherwise  this parrot  like repeated  ¨Territorial integrity¨ will not get  you to any where. At a conference  where  Turkish Gunaydin, or Hurriet  correspondents  were there in the 80´s(our conf.) the correspondent  asked a group of us after session in lobby ,don´t  you think  that  others  have also committed attrocities  in Far  East, N.America. Answe from me was indeed,but  they have compensatged their guilt/crime as best  they could.We shall  live  side  by side  whether  you like  it  or us,is´t  it better  that  we come to an understanding  now  ,I suggested  yes, he says biut  there are  U.s. bases  on those lands.to which i replied  on the  other side also  are  others.
    ¨Are  you a  communist(it  was  before Gorbachev  perestroika,during  cold war) no , quite the contrary a small capitalist, but I may turn to a Marxist, communist  maoist  what  not  in defence  of my Homeland. then he says will you leave the Western country you live  in and come live  in thoose rugged  mounatinaous areas?
    I replied  I shall come and go as  many times  as necesary and with our material help bring  in buddlozers CATS and rebuild  the area and bring in farmers from nearby Armenian communities  etc., to whioch he could not answer  any  more.
    You see  this  is going to take a very long time  it is a long process, but Armenians are famed for being patient!!!! 

  11. Stev-o, the ‘territorial integrity’ of Turkey was secured through theft and murder; by the blood of Ottoman Christians.  There is no dignity in this.  I find this indefensible.  Why doesn’t your oath to stand by Turkey include helping her deal honestly with her past and making amends for the sins of your forefathers?  Much can be gained for Turkey by atoning and living in peace with neighbors.  Genocide is an international crime that won’t be brushed under the rug.  

  12. No Gaytzag. Armenians aren’t patient. They are stupid. You will loose your little empire but you do not realize

  13. Steve,
                     I wonder why people like you run away from a civilized country like Turkey and, when they are in a strange country all of sudden become turkish national again, and penal  code 301 defenders!! 
    here below is one part of Turkish penal code 301 punishment:
    (3) denigration of Turkishness is committed by a Turkish citizen in a foreign country, the penalty shall be increased by one third.

  14. John the Turk– i would not speak that highly of your unintelligent self… because when one opens their mouth without any purpose may lose everything else.. including your Westernized name…

    So keep on inhaling the poisoneous hookah your govt is providing to you and leave the more advanced and intelligent matters for people who truly know and understand..

    Murat– you may join John the Turk as well..

    By the way, my friend Gor asked if you would have a normal conversation and debate about the Armenians Genocide on another thread… we have not heard from you… it is only respectful to reply to a question don’t you think???    

    Thank you   

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Back to top button