Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made insulting statements on the Armenian Genocide during his visit to Washington on Dec. 6-8. Rather than hosting him in the White House, President Obama should have declared him “persona non grata”—an undesirable person.
Would Obama have welcomed Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the White House and sung his praises, given his revisionist views on the Holocaust? Inviting Erdogan to the U.S. is even more offensive, akin to receiving a German leader who denies the Holocaust.
Erdogan made a series of outrageous remarks and denialist statements during five public appearances in Washington: At PBS, the Willard Hotel, the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced and International Studies, the SETA-DC Turkish thinktank, and the German Marshall Fund.
During his Dec. 8 hour-long PBS TV interview with Charlie Rose, Erdogan brought up the Armenian issue by claiming that his government had recently restored “an Armenian church” in Van, without disclosing that the Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van was reopened not as a house of worship, but as a cultural site to attract tourists. Indeed, the Turkish authorities refused to allow a cross to be placed on the church’s dome.
Erdogan’s boastful comments led Rose to raise the Armenian Genocide issue in a passive manner by asking: “What is necessary in order to—what more evidence does history need with respect to the genocide?”
The question threw Erdogan into a rage, making him spew hateful statements about the Armenian Genocide: “I can say very clearly that we do not accept genocide. This is completely a lie. I invite people to prove it… Something like this is really not possible, and there is no truth to it.” These are the shameful words of the same man who claimed there was no genocide in Darfur, since he saw no trace of such a crime during his visit to Sudan.
When asked by Charlie Rose if Obama had brought up the Armenian Genocide issue during the White House meeting, Erdogan said yes, adding that it was in the context of normalizing relations with Armenia. “It was Turkey that initiated the normalization process. It was Turkey that took upon itself the risk. We believe in ourselves. What we would like to see is for this normalization process to go forward. And in that it’s important that we go into that, and the Karabagh issue between Azerbaijan and Armenia be resolved. There is an occupation. We have to solve that problem… And if the positive developments that we would like to see do not come about, then I do not believe that our parliament will have a positive result as a result of its deliberations.”
During his appearance at Johns Hopkins, Erdogan proudly claimed that his “ancestors have never committed genocide.” The real issue is not whether his grandparents participated in the Armenian Genocide. What’s more important is that the prime minister has chosen to become an accomplice to these heinous crimes by participating in their cover up.
Despite all the diplomatic pleasantries exchanged between Erdogan and Obama, there were indications that the two leaders had a tense meeting. According to media reports confirmed by White House sources, Obama bluntly told Erdogan that if the Turkish Parliament did not ratify the Armenia-Turkey protocols in a timely manner, the U.S. Congress could well adopt a resolution on the Armenian Genocide.
The two leaders also clashed over their divergent views on several key issues: Turkey’s unwillingness to send more troops to Afghanistan, refusal to support a recent IAEA resolution to censure Iran’s nuclear program, the signing of a multi-billion dollar energy contract with Iran in defiance of U.S. sanctions, worsening ties with Israel, continued occupation of Northern Cyprus, and manifest disregard of minority rights in Turkey.
In the midst of Erdogan’s crucial visit, Turkey’s ambassador to Washington, Nabi Sensoy, tendered his resignation unexpectedly after an argument with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu over the logistics of the White House meeting. This scandalous development must have been highly embarrassing for the prime minister.
Upon returning to Turkey, Erdogan faced a major political crisis and bloody clashes in the streets of Kurdish-populated cities, triggered by the Constitutional Court’s banning of the Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP). The court expelled two DTP members from parliament, while 19 others resigned in protest.
It is a shame that Armenia’s leaders, rather than repudiating Erdogan’s offensive statements on the Armenian Genocide, continued to talk about normalizing relations with Turkey. Armenian Americans were equally negligent, failing to express their outrage. Erdogan should have been confronted in Washington with massive protests and demonstrations. Sadly, silence makes genocide denial an acceptable practice.
Harut Sassounian
Turkish hypocrisy and political game continued in Washington
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Is Turkey US Ally
December 15, 2009 at 12: 20 pm
What I see happening is that Turkish and almost every other country’s politicians meet behind closed doors and devise often unethical strategies for their gains. Since WWI, Turkey has been effective in marketing itself as a US ally, a Soviet ally, a Russian ally, a Muslim ally, an Iranian ally, a European ally, a Nazi ally, a Jewish ally, an Azeri ally, a Palestenian ally. They are even a Chechen ally and a de facto Al Queida ally. In the end their shortchange everyone but are conniving enough for none to notice.
All our leaders do is get a political position and then work on expanding their personal businesses (like restaurants and shopping centers), devouring good meals, and fighting each other. No strategic meetings between them and foreign nationals occur, except an occasional one with Russia or Iran. They do no marketing of their strategic location or capabilities nor make any threats. Such a passive stance will be destructive.
Why doesn’t the US feel compelled to support Armenia; otherwise Armenia may support the Iranian nuclear program for example. Why doesn’t Iran support Armenia, fearing it may allow US bases to use its soil. Why doesn’t Armenia partially absolve itself of responsibility of the Karabakh issue and shift some of the negotiations to Karabakh. Just like the rest of the world, Armenia needs to approach any set of negotiations with a multi-faceted approach, sometimes siding and defying with the adversary or mediator at the same time.
Masis Babajanian MD
California, USA
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s insulting statements on the Armenian Genocide are not a problem but the Armenian President’s illegality is. All those who support the latter as pocket balls, such as Mr. Gagik Sahakyan, Mr. Rudik Martirosyan, Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan are going to perish, making the Republic of Armenia a country-non-grata in the globalizing world.
jeshmarid@yahoo.com
I just can’t stand this matter of fact approach our government is taking toward Turkey and how they are conducting business in regards to the protocols..
Is there anyone alive in the Armenian govt to slap Sarkissian from his sleep? I dont’ understand how much evidence do they need to stop all this and just spit Turkey out of the equation all together?
Silence does make the deniers job easy.. I agree with you Harout.. It is unfortunate…
Hope that our joint efforts will pay off and we won’t stand still and without our screams..
I am ready to voice and scream.. are you?
Many people were screaming before the protocols came about. Unfortunately, not many paid any attention. Harut is only one example of a consistent voice yelling at the top of his lungs every week in defense of our cause for decades now!
Harsh realities like the introduction of the protocols however have the desired effect of WAKING ARMENIANS UP to the reality of our cause. The revelation of the protocols have hopefully now awoken at least some members of our community from their deep slumber…
Now its time for action before the majority begin yawning again.
Thank you Harut for your good insights. Indeed Armenian Americans should have loudly and screamingly protested against Erdogun in Washington for his denialist outbirsts (five times) in regards to the Armenian Genocide. I don’t know why we are sleeping? We were all outraged when Serge’s arm was twisted by US/Russia/France, pushing Armenia to sign the unjustified protocols; then why didn’t our leaders in the US organized such a protest; however short notice: but indeed it was crucial and it should have been done.
I also agree with you Harut jan that Obama shouldn’t have received the Genocide denialist Erdogun with open arms. Would Obama received Sudan’s president with open arms after he committed Darfur’s Genocide? No never, then he should not have received Erdogun either!
I think we all agree that the protocols are less than perfect in theircurrent state, but I don’t think that all is lost. Turkey is positioning itself to reject the protocols( or maybe just never take action),
based on Erdogan’s continued linkage of them with Karabagh.Worst case scenario…. Armenia collaspes under the pressure and concedeson Karabagh(I don’t believe this will happen). Even in that
scenario, the people that really count, our heroes in Karabagh will reject this position;forcing continued negotiations. If we manage the public relations properly,Turkey will be viewed as not only
deniers but lacking credibility.At that point , we go back to square one and maybe we get it right the next time. Keep the faith!!!!