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CURRENT
SITUATION
The Republic
of Armenia that declared its independence on 23rd September
1991 following the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics has made the genocide claims against Turkey a state
policy. Trying to create the image of a nation under oppression
and persecution, it strives to secure the sympathies of Western
powers and particularly the United States and France and international
organisations.
Their objective
is the recognition and registering of the genocide claims,
securing a sizeable indemnity from Turkey, the returning of
the territories “seized from Armenians” and the establishment
of Great Armenia. In fact, the declaration adopted on 23rd
August 1990 by the Armenian Parliament states, in no uncertain
terms, that “The Armenian Republic supports the efforts for
the international recognition of the 1915 genocide in Western
Armenia by the Ottoman Turkey”.
The initiatives
intended for the recognition of the so called genocide have
been concentrated on in a number of countries where commemorative
monuments were erected and the claims of genocide were formally
included in school curricula .
A relatively
mild atmosphere prevailed in the Turkish-Armenian relations
under the term in office of Ter Petrossian. With the election,
however, of Kocharian to the Presidency in April 1998, the
extreme nationalist activities were let loose and Armenia
began to pursue a toughness policy in its relations with Turkey.
Kocharian stated in an official declaration that “The Armenians
will never forget the genocide and always try to remind the
rest of the world of this tragedy” and added that “The Genocide
remains unpunished and the international recognition and reproach
are inadequate and insufficient”. He repeated this statement
also in the 53rd General Assembly Meeting of the United Nations
and said that Armenia was under the blockade grip of Turkey
and Azerbaijan.
The best reply
to people like Kocharian has been given by the Armenian community
living in Turkey. Regarding the genocide and the replacement
claims, Dikran Kevorkian, Kandilli Armenian Church Pastor,
said the following on 7th October 2000 in a television programme
named “ Nutshell”:
Genocide and
replacement denote two different concepts. The imperialist
schemes and the Armenian apolitical dream leaders (media,
churches and the clergy) are the causes of this situation.
The Patriarch is a spiritual leader and a blunder is committed
when his opinions are sought about political matters. What
could ASALA and PKK do if there were no political support
behind them? There was a German pressure on the Sublime Porte
for the replacement, in an attempt to shake the existing order
and to secure itself economic benefits through the Berlin-Baghdad
railroad.
For the assimilation
claims, Kevorkian stated the following words:
Today, it is
only in Turkey among all countries of the world that the Armenians
manage to maintain their own identity. The Armenians in the
Diaspora abroad continue their struggle for existence by changing
their names because there are efforts there to assimilate
the Armenians. The Diaspora knows very well that the Sunday
rites in all major American churches are in English and the
Armenians are gradually forgetting their own language. When
we say these we are criticised. It is for these reasons that
we, as the Armenians living in Turkey declare our regrets
against these efforts, because an injustice is being committed
to the concept of “National Forces” entrusted to us by Atatürk.
All this is a stratagem conducted from abroad, including the
ASALA, PKK and Kocharian’s declaration. We, as the citizens
of Turkey believe that an injustice is perpetrated here. If
Armenians are intelligent enough, they should not allow themselves
to be used for the interests of others.
In a reception
held at Hilton Hotel on 22nd May 1999, the Armenian Patriarch
Mesrob II gave the following messages refuting most of the
Armenian claims:
The establishment
of the Istanbul Armenian Patriarchate is an event unprecedented
in the history. In 1481, only eight years after the conquest
of Istanbul,. the firman issued by Mohammed the Conqueror
for the conversion of the West Anatolian Armenian Episcopate
into the Istanbul Patriarchate, is a clear evidence of his
vision and the tolerance displayed by the subsequent sultans,
toward other religions.
The establishment
of a spiritual leadership office for a religion other than
that of the ruler is unprecedented in the history before and
after Mohammed the Conqueror. We will better understand the
value of this event that occurred some 538 years ago and the
importance of the tolerance between religions and cultures
when we consider the clashes prevailing in the world and the
wars being fought around us, at the threshold of a new millenium
.
On this occasion,
we recall with affection and gratitude Mohammed the Conqueror,
all the statesmen that served the country along the lines
that he had drawn and our eighty-three Patriarchs who faithfully
served this office, beginning with the first Istanbul Armenian
Patriarch Hovaghim from Bursa.
We, the Turkish
Armenians as the largest Christian community living in this
country sincerely believe in the bright future of the Republic
of Turkey, we joyfully celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary
and we maintain great hopes for the future.
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