308) Kocharian Conceals Occupation with So-Called Genocide

 

 
I don't know why, opening the Armenian border gate has become a "blind love" in Turkey. Lastly, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has fell in this "blind love". While no conditions have been changed on the Armenian side, Ankara has carried on building diplomatic relations and opening the border gate to the issue.
 
Armenian President Robert Kocharian; however, showed once again that they do not seek dialogue or a solution at the Summit of the Council of Europe in Warsaw.
 
Kocharian repeated to the top-level representatives of 46 European countries that "recognition of 1915 events as genocide is our main policy." While it was highly expected that Prime Minister Erdogan and Kocharian would come together at that summit, Kocharian's statements had a cold effect on the Turkish side.
 
Kocharian has become Armenian President thanks to the effective "Karabagh Clan" when he was one of the Armenian rebel leaders carrying out an armed conflict in Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabagh region. Kocharian's biggest supporter is the Dashnak Party, which has destroyed the democratic structure in the country. What brought Kocharian up to power is not the Armenian people's support but financial and political support provided by the Armenian Diaspora, who seek the dream of "Greater Armenia". If Kocharian gives up his so-called genocide allegations, he will lose the Armenian Diaspora's support that has been constructed on "Turcophobic Animosity". Under these circumstances, it would be naive to expect Kocharian to give up his so-called genocide allegations and to withdraw from 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory.
 
Certainly, this is not the only reason for Kocharian's insistence on a so-called genocide. If it is noticed, campaigns of so-called genocide have accelerated after 1990. The end of the Cold War has facilitated the international pressure over Turkey and this has played a crucial role in it. The main reason; however, is that the so-called genocide barking conceals Armenian's occupation and massacre in Azerbaijan. Adapting the role of the oppressed and the aggrieved, Armenians, who constantly carry the so-called genocide allegations on the agenda at European and US parliaments, conceal the Karabagh massacres and the occupation of Azerbaijan in this way. They describe the immigration of 413,000 Armenians from the Ottoman territories as "genocide"; however, show their exile of 800,000 Azerbaijanis from their homelands and committing ethnic cleansing, primarily in Hocali, as just.
 
Kocharian's speech at the Council of Europe is very thought provoking from this point of view as well. The Council of Europe's Assembly of Parliamentarians has accepted Armenia as a country occupying Azerbaijani territory on January 25th 2005, that is to say four months ago. It also accepted a comprehensive report envisioning a peaceful withdrawal from it. Kocharian, who is the architect of the occupation that blocked four different resolutions by the United Nations (UN) and solutions projects by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE), now plays the role of the "oppressed" by carrying the so-called genocide allegations on agenda at the Council of Europe. He, therefore, keeps the international community and the Council of Europe from undertaking an active role in the solution of the problem.
 
Turkey should speak with Kocharian in the language that he understands at this stage. That is to say, it should push Armenia into corner at international platforms and take initiatives to allow it to end the occupation and to establish peaceful relations with its neighbors. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) might easily carry the Karabagh problem to the agenda. Turkey should use all its opportunities in the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the UN and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is naturally not possible that these policies can be successful only with Turkey's efforts. Turkey and Azerbaijan should set up a very close dialogue and co-operation mechanism at this stage. They should direct their lobby opportunities to the same point. Armenia should be put under international pressure by gaining the support of friendly countries as well.
 
If these are achieved, not only the so-called genocide allegations will occupy the agenda as such, but also Armenia will seek ways to approach Turkey as a solution to get rid of international pressure. Turkey-Armenia relations will mostly benefit Armenia, so the "blind love" of opening the border gates and establishing bridges should be theirs.
 
May 20, 2005
 
 
 
05.20.2005
 
ERHAN BASYURT
06.01.2005 Wednesday - ISTANBUL 19:50

 

e-mail:e.basyurt@zaman.com.tr