Why wait until 2015? Why not now? But first, all those western countries and Russia who created the “Eastern Question and the Armenian Issue” should admit their roles in the common tragedy and tell the world that they will not continue with their never ending goals in putting road blocks for the development of Turkey and the re-establisment of friendship between the Armenians and the Turks everywhere. Everyone should heed the words of Mustafa Kemal Pasa who made the following statement on 7 March, 1920:
“Civilisation and the humanity should once more enlightened regarding the alleged Armenian massacres and the purpose of the propaganda created to mislead the world. These are the results of resentment and anger from detestable and vicious accusations.”
Yuksel Oktay
28 November 2009
From: CEM TOKER <[email protected]>
http://news. am/en/news/ 9524.html www.ldp.org. tr
12:53 / 11/27/2009
Cem Toker, Liberal Democrat Party (LDP) leader who recently visited Armenia “asked for the recognition of 2015 as a year for the commemoration of the common tragedy of 1915,” Turkish Sunday’s Zaman writes.
The source quotes Toker as saying: “Both sides suffered from great pain a century ago. We can initiate such a process to share our common and mutual anguish without blaming each other and referencing the notion of Genocide. I hope that the 2015 Year for the Commemoration of our Common Tragedy will make a contribution to the peace process at a time when protocols have been signed for the normalization of diplomatic relations and the opening of border gates. People’s stories of family tragedies are often followed by remarks of gratitude; they say, for instance: ‘Our Turkish neighbors gave us food; they protected us. They saved our lives; they told us they could look after our babies for us, implying that we would come back anyway.’ These stories point to the humane part of the whole story. This is a great potential to look forward.”
According to Toker, Turkey is the key topic of daily discussions in Armenia, “If you want to survive politically there, you have to be against Turkey; this is the dominant belief in the country. Turkey is the only issue that people talk about when they get together. It does not matter whether they hold positive views or not on Turkey. Turkish people’s reaction to the Dink murder shocked the Armenian people. Eager to prevent the emergence of positive feelings on Turkey, nationalists strove to present this as an organization of the state; however, this propaganda was not very influential. People have changed their views on Turkey because of the slogans chanted at the funeral ‘We all are Hrant; we all are Armenians’,” Toker says, adding that Armenian people were surprised when hearing there are 50,000 Armenians in Istanbul working without feeling that they live in a hostile country.
Asked about the reactions he got in Armenia, LDP leader replied: “Ordinary people also started changing their views on the Diaspora. They now criticize Diaspora actors, noting that it is easy to make recommendations from remote parts of the world. There are two kinds of people: The moderates say, “Well, I am ready to erase the map in my mind; but it will stay alive in my heart.” The same also applies to 1915. They say, “I will take the Genocide out of my brain; but I will keep the anguish alive in my heart.” The others, however, say: “I will never forget this map; it will always remain alive in my brain and heart. I will never erase the Genocide and the Armenian cities. These are what make me an Armenian.”
Touching upon Azeris’ reaction on the Armenia-Turkey reconciliation, Toker told Zaman: “I have difficulty understanding why the Azeri people show such an excessive reaction to the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. It is really interesting to observe that they are so critical of the moves Turkey has taken to address thorny issues including Nagorno-Karabakh, the recognition of borders and the Genocide allegations while remaining silent towards Iran’s eagerness to keep its borders with Armenia open. I do not say Iran should close its gates; quite the contrary, why did we close while Iran did not? They do not object to Iran, but they criticize Turkey because we seek a resolution. This is not acceptable.”
News from Armenia – NEWS.am
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