1995) Atatürk’s Overviews on the Armenian Issue

Ismet Görgülü from Baskent University is evaluating the Armenian issue on the axis of Atatürk in his article, which is issued in the strategy annex of the Cumhuriyet daily. The passages of the article, which went to the fore, are as following:

“I searched Atatürk’s statements thoroughly on the Armenian issue from his correspondences and lectures, and gathered them into a book. We have come across to significant information and evaluation assets. These information and evaluation assets can be arranged in topics as following:

o Relocation was obligatory.
o Genocide was not committed against Armenians during relocation.
o The ones, who were relocated, are still alive.
o Relocation had saved the lives of Armenians in a sense, due to the cruelty and hostility aroused from the massacres committed by the Armenian gangs against Turks.
o It was the Turks who were attacked and attempted to be massacred during the World War I and the Salvation War.
o First the Russians at the Eastern front, then England and France at the Southern front incited Turks and Armenians to destroy each other.
o Armenian massacre is a lie, a made-up story, a slander and a propaganda activity of England.
o The attacks, which are entitled “You massacred Armenians”, are not based on historical facts, but political aspirations.
o The political desire is land. To create a “Caucasus Defensive wall”.
o Kurdish and Armenian issues are just instruments in this project and are used parallel to each other.

We will only be able to deal with three of these.

THIRD ARMENIAN ATTACK
Turkish nation has confronted to the pretentious attacks claiming: “You massacred Armenians” for the third time.

The first one started right after the 1915 relocation in 1916 and intensified following the Treaty that was signed in 1918.

The second one was in 1920. It was when the Turkish nation resisted to the French-Armenian invaders for saving their lives, honor and lands from Çukurova to Antep, Maras, and Urfa, particularly after expelling French-Armenian invaders from Maras, in February 1920.

The third one was started in 1965 but the real attack (…) was after 1995. During 1965-1995 the number of parliaments who admitted that “Turks have committed genocide against Armenians” was only six.

9 more were added to the rest from 1995 until 1998.

(…) And only in the year 2000 7 more were added.

During 2001-2006 17 more were added.

Briefly, while 39 in total were added during 1965-2007, the resolutions of the provinces are not added to the total figure.


ATATÜRK’S DETECTIONS
It is possible to outline Atatürk’s detections and evaluations on the Armenian allegations in a question and answer form:

Question:
Even though they know that Turkey had not committed genocide they still attack Turkey with the accusations of genocide. Why are they doing this?

Answer:
“Currently, when the peace conditions are to be discussed, the goal of the efforts made by the enemy is based upon forcing to accept everything they demand by leaving our country in weak position both inside and outside the country.

All the elements, which have seen their future interest at turning all the foreign countries against us by using various pressures have invented an Armenian massacre story, which is completely a lie…

Currently, when it is about to be decided on the peace conditions, England was preparing such circumstances that invasion of Istanbul could easily be applied by shaking our image outside the country with the mass massacre slanders…”(24 April 1920 TBMM).

“The slanders invented by our enemy, apparently have been adopted in the Paris Conference on December the 1st. As a consequence it is possible that they have started to put the secret agreements and mutual promises in practice that they have done during the war. The invasion of I.zmir, Antalya, Adana, Antep, Urfa and Maras, is the consequence of the obligations they did among themselves…” (31 December 1919 Ankara)

It is perceived from ATA’s three statements that the attacks titled “Armenian massacre”, is beyond a simple accusation. The ones, who have intentions on Turkey, have used this as a tool. They had used it as a tool for threat to meet their current interests and as a tool for infrastructure tool to meet their long term plans.

Question:
Okay then, is the genocide real?

Answer:
“The massacre allegations are made up of invented rumors, lies and slanders. (17 January 1921-Statement)

Question :
Then, what is the Armenian question?

Answer:
“The Armenian question is a question, which is desired to be solved according to the interests of capitalists of the World more than the desires of the Armenian nation.” (1 March 19212-TBMM)

Question:
What are the economic interests of the imperialists, which you have based on the Armenian question?

Answer:
“England would become very strong in the whole of near East when they will unite with the English troops in Iraq following the Armenians seize Van and Bitlis.” (1 December 1920)

“Extending the lands of Armenia in order to draw her near to the English citizens who were settled in the Mesopotamia, would mean to create unpleasant surprise to the governments of Moscow and Ankara.” (27 December 1920)

“Tashnaks’ incline to watch opportunity for invading our Eastern provinces leaning on the conditions of the Serves Agreement signed by the Istanbul government, by not stop being a tool to the intrigues of the Allied Powers, and by this way, deciding firmly to play the role in Caucasia, Eastern Anatolia and in Iran, which is played by Greece, Rumeli and Western Anatolia by means of bringing about a great mass under the protection of allied forces between East and Turkey from the Basra Gulf to the Black Sea…” (6 October 1920)

Question:
What is the role of Armenians’ in the scenario?

Answer:
“The Greeks and Armenians are the nations which are the servants of the West imperialism”. (1 December 1920-Ankara)

“Armenia is nothing but a foreign substance that is squeezed among the wheels of a machine with the aim of preventing the Eastern revolution machine to work by the ones who will be effected from this revolution …(13 November 1920-Hakimiyeti Milliye)
.
Atatürk identifies that Armenians are used as a tool by the imperialists, and he frequently repeats this fact. The Armenians, who perceive the realities, issue statements on the matter. Atatürk also indicates that the aim at using Armenians as a tool was to realize this political goal. Let’s present the explanation of the mentioned political goal as heard directly from the one, who has identified the goal.

Lord Curzon, the Foreign Minister of England said the following at the conference, where the Serves Agreement was prepared in 16 February 1920:

“Founding an independent Armenia is among the goals of the allies…To realize their goal all the allies took an oath…”

The person in question said the following on 22 April 1920 regarding the goal of the foundation of this state:

“In the case that a great pan-Islam or pan-Turan movement may emerge, it was considered in the London Conference, generally in the face of the World peace, that squeezing a Christian society, which could be a new Armenian state, between Turkish Muslims and the ones at the East, would be an appropriate attempt.”

Atatürk had identified perfectly well without being unaware of the written reports of these meetings, the reason why it was played on the Armenians in addition to their political goals…

The second goal, which was expressed by L.Curzon should be inquired as well as the economic interest that was previously indicated, behind the current attempt to use Armenians and putting the Armenian card in front of Turkey once again.

Source: Ismet Görgülü-Baskent University, Cumhuriyet Daily-Strategy Annex 2007 No:153

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Source: GenocideReality.com

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