Turkish Forum

Category: Authors

  • Letter to Staten Island Advance News Paper Editor

    Letter to Staten Island Advance News Paper Editor

    Ibrahim Kurtulus 
    425 Jefferson Ave 
    Staten island, NY 10306 
    6462677488

    Letter to Staten island Staten Island Advance Editor 

    To the Editor :

    Republic of Türkiye (Former Name Turkey):  Global Diplomacy, Undermined by Congresswoman 

    Nicole Malliotakis

    Türkiye has long been a cornerstone of regional stability, bridging East and West through diplomacy, trade, and security. Its strategic significance to NATO and its role in counterterrorism, humanitarian efforts, and mediation cannot be overstated. Yet, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, through her positions and actions, consistently undermines U.S.-Türkiye relations, jeopardizing national interests.

    Türkiye’s diplomatic acumen has been repeatedly demonstrated. In the ongoing Gaza crisis, Türkiye is mediating the release of hostages through its intelligence and diplomatic channels. U.S. Ambassador Jeff Flake has praised Türkiye’s ability to “engage adversaries and mediate complex negotiations.” Similarly, Türkiye facilitated the release of American basketball star Brittney Griner in 2022, mediating between the U.S. and Russia. These examples highlight Türkiye’s role as an indispensable partner.

    Congresswoman Malliotakis’ actions, however, risk alienating this vital ally. She has supported resolutions criticizing Türkiye’s government, ignoring its importance in U.S. efforts to counter Russian aggression and ensure Middle Eastern stability. Former US Ambassador James Jeffrey has aptly noted, “Demonizing Türkiye is not the answer,” underscoring the need for constructive engagement.

    As a NATO member, Türkiye controls access to the Black Sea, playing a critical role in containing Russian aggression. It has also been pivotal in combating terrorism, targeting groups like ISIS and the PKK, recognized as a terrorist organization by both Türkiye and the U.S. Ambassador Flake acknowledged Türkiye’s contributions, stating, “Improved U.S.-Türkiye relations advance a range of issues essential for American National Interest and security.”

    Despite this, Malliotakis has aligned with groups sympathetic to the PKK/YPG, Radical Islamic Cleric Fethullah Gulen, undermining counterterrorism collaboration. Her policies jeopardizes joint security initiatives vital to U.S. national interests.

    Türkiye is an emerging economic power and a gateway for trade between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Strengthening economic ties with Türkiye offers significant opportunities for American and Staten Island businesses. Yet, Malliotakis’ divisive rhetoric obstructs such efforts, limiting growth and collaboration.

    Moreover, her approach risks emboldening adversaries like Russia and Iran, who exploit divisions within NATO. By sidelining Türkiye, Malliotakis compromises regional stability, endangering both American and allied interests.

    President Biden recently emphasized Türkiye’s role in Gaza negotiations. Trump to understands Turkiyes role. This reflects an understanding of Türkiye’s value as a partner in achieving global stability. Congresswoman Malliotakis, however, continues to promote policies that strain this relationship, prioritizing political agendas over national security.

    It’s time to recognize Türkiye as a trusted ally and reject the divisive narratives perpetuated by figures like Malliotakis. Strengthening U.S.-Türkiye relations ensures a safer, more prosperous future for both nations. Anything less undermines the very fabric of American diplomacy and security.

    Ibrahim Kurtulus

    Dongan Hills

  • Armenia Blocks Artsakh Movie From Nomination for Oscars

    Armenia Blocks Artsakh Movie From Nomination for Oscars

    In my last week’s article I criticized the government of Jordan for buckling under Azerbaijan’s pressure to withdraw its nomination of a documentary about Artsakh as an Oscars entry.

    While it is bad enough that a hostile country like Azerbaijan prevents the nomination of a movie about Artsakh, but it is much worse when Armenia itself refuses to present a movie about Artsakh to the Oscars!

    The Armenian National Film Academy just chose to nominate for the 2025 Oscars a movie titled, “Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev” instead of the one about Artsakh titled, 1489. Even though I do not have a direct evidence that this was done at the request of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan or his government, nevertheless, given their anti-Artsakh positions, we can safely assume that the decision was made at their suggestion. One indication is that the Republic of Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport is the sponsor of “Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev.”

    On many occasions, Pashinyan has confirmed his anti-Artsakh position starting with his capitulation that Artsakh belongs to Azerbaijan. Given the fact that Artsakh was occupied by Azerbaijan under Pashinyan’s watch, he is extremely reluctant to talk about his major failure and remind the people of his personal responsibility for not protecting Artsakh. That is why he has not referred to Nagorno-Karabagh as Artsakh since the 2020 war. He declares that the Karabagh refugees, who fled to Armenia after Azerbaijan’s takeover of Artsakh in September 2023, are no longer citizens of Armenia, even though they possess passports of the Republic of Armenia.

    Furthermore, given the fact that Pashinyan has been desperately trying to convince Pres. Ilham Aliyev to sign a peace treaty with Armenia, he has shied away from taking any actions that he feels would antagonize Azerbaijan. He has warned that unless Armenia complies with Azerbaijan’s escalating demands, Baku will attack Armenia again.

    Wikipedia reports that “‘Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev’ is a 2024 absurdist tragicomedy film written and directed by Edgar Baghdasaryan. Starring Mais Sarkisyan as a retired Armenian reluctant to accept the dissolution of the Soviet Union imagines conversations with former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and other communist leaders.” Baghdasaryan is a board member of the Armenian National Film Academy which selected this film as Armenia’s official Oscars nomination. “1489” only received two votes out the 30 Armenian National Film Academy board members, causing a major controversy in Armenia.

    “1489” is a movie about 21-year-old student and musician Soghomon Vardanyan who disappeared in the 2020 Artsakh war. The number 1489 is assigned to a soldier missing in action. Full Frame Documentary Film Festival’s website explains that Soghomon’s sister Shoghakat Vardanyan, the film’s director, “documents her parents and herself as they search for answers, interviewing soldiers who survived, desperately clinging to hope, and their grief as hope begins to fade. Through raw, intimate moments, “1489” confronts the human cost of war through one family’s unwavering love, quest for closure, and finally, their acceptance of a devastating truth.”

    The film won the Best Film Award of the International Film Festival of Amsterdam (receiving a 15,000 euro cash prize), the FIPRESCI Award by the International Federation of Film Critics, Best Documentary Film of Trieste Film Festival, Best Documentary of the Buenos Aires International Documentary Film Festival, and several others.

    The “Eye for an Eye” community of Armenian documentary filmmakers, photographers, writers, and artists urged the Armenian National Film Academy to review its decision, claiming that Baghdasaryan’s film (Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev) “has not had international exhibitions and has not won international awards.” They said that “an injustice has occurred in the field of Armenian cinema and it is not the most resonant, prestigious, and strong Armenian production film that will represent Armenia at the Oscars…. Vardanyan’s film (“1489”) could have been the first Armenian film to receive an Oscar.”

    The Secretary of the Armenian National Film Academy, Natalya Ghazanchyan, responded: “Film Academicians do not take into account the list of awards received by the film, but are guided by its artistic merits, based on their rich experience in the film industry.” She said that the Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev film “had won five out of nine possible awards at the [Armenian] Film Academy’s Anahit awards. She added that any member of the Film Academy with a connection to a submitted film was not allowed to participate in the voting process,” oc-media.org reported.

    The Armenian public should express its outrage at the decision of the Armenian Film Academy to select a whimsical movie instead of the one that portrays an immense tragedy — the loss of Artsakh. Armenians should accept nothing short of the reversal the Armenian Academy’s incorrect decision.

    It is very disturbing that Armenian officials, just like the government of Azerbaijan, has blocked the submission to the Oscars of a high-quality Armenian movie related to Artsakh.

  • Letter to Turkish Airlines, USA

    Letter to Turkish Airlines, USA

    Mr. Emre Ismailoglu
    Turkish Airlines New York Main Office
    350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor
    New York, NY 10118
    November 22, 2024

     RE: Appeal for Zero-Fee Policy for Transporting Human Remains to Türkiye

    Dear Mr. Ismailoglu,

     I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to respectfully appeal to Turkish Airlines, one of the most esteemed airlines globally, to consider implementing a zero-fee policy for the transportation of human remains to Türkiye. Such a policy would significantly alleviate the emotional and financial burdens on grieving families, particularly those with limited resources, while reinforcing Turkish Airlines’ reputation as a compassionate and socially responsible organization.

     As highlighted by Imam Ahmet Dönmez, the current cost of nearly $2,250  for transporting human remains imposes a severe financial strain on families, especially those relying on modest incomes such as Social Security or government assistance programs like SNAP. These fees are often insurmountable for families already grappling with the devastating loss of a loved one. The Turkish-American community, through voices such as Amerikalı Türk and its editor, Deniz Çelik, has expressed a heartfelt plea for Turkish Airlines to address this pressing issue. This request is not merely logistical but deeply rooted in cultural and emotional values, calling for Turkish Airlines to exemplify the same social responsibility it has consistently demonstrated in other endeavors.

     Turkish Airlines is uniquely positioned to lead this initiative without significant financial strain. In 2023, the airline achieved extraordinary financial success, reporting a net profit exceeding $6 billion—more than double its 2022 profits—alongside revenues of $20.9 billion, reflecting a 13.6% year-on-year growth. 2023: For the first nine months, Turkish Airlines reported a net profit of $2.9 billion, surpassing its previous year’s performance for the same period.  

     By the third quarter of 2024, the airline maintained its remarkable trajectory, earning $1.3 billion in profits. These figures highlight the financial capacity to introduce a zero-fee policy for families in need, further elevating Turkish Airlines’ global standing.

     Pakistan International Airlines provides an excellent precedent by offering free transportation of human remains to grieving families. Such a policy demonstrates profound humanity and respect for families navigating immense loss. By adopting a similar measure, Turkish Airlines can alleviate hardship while enhancing its image as a compassionate and community-centered airline.

     A practical framework for such a policy could involve waiving fees for families with an annual income below $30,000 or those enrolled in government assistance programs like SNAP. This initiative would mirror the free funeral services offered by municipalities within Türkiye, reflecting the airline’s enduring role as a symbol of Turkish unity and care.

     It is worth noting that the Turkish community greatly values Turkish Airlines’ contributions to community events and sponsorships. These efforts have fostered deep admiration and loyalty among diaspora communities. However, implementing a zero-fee policy for the transportation of human remains would surpass all other initiatives, serving as a profound testament to the airline’s compassion and solidarity during families’ most difficult moments.

     As Imam Dönmez and others in our community have emphasized, Turkish Airlines is more than an airline; it is a bridge connecting the Turkish diaspora to their homeland. Adopting this policy would not only reflect respect for cultural values but also demonstrate a deep understanding of the emotional and financial challenges faced by families. Such a step would underscore the airline’s unwavering commitment to prioritizing humanity over profit, strengthening its bond with the global Turkish community.

    I join  Amerikalı Türk and its editor, Deniz Çelik and Imam Ahmet Dönmez kindly urge Turkish Airlines to consider this heartfelt appeal. By adopting a zero-fee or a deeper discount policy for the transportation of human remains, Turkish Airlines would exemplify leadership in corporate social responsibility, further endearing itself to the global Turkish community. We would also welcome a meeting with you to discuss other option.

     Thank you for your attention and consideration of this important matter.

    Respectfully,

    Ibrahim Kurtulus

    Community Activist

    646267488

  • Armenians Now have a New Target: Jordan For Buckling Under Azerbaijan’s Pressure

    Armenians Now have a New Target: Jordan For Buckling Under Azerbaijan’s Pressure

    As if Armenians did not have enough problems to deal with, they must now insist that Jordan reverse the dropping of its Artsakh-themed Oscar entry under pressure from Azerbaijan.

    Jordan’s Royal Film Commission had selected New York-based Jordanian American director Sareen Hairabedian’s My Sweet Land documentary as its entry for the Oscars. The film is produced by Azza Hourani and coproduced by Julie Paratian and David Rane. The executive producers are Beth Levison, Carrie Lozano, Hallee Adelman, Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh. Robina Riccitiello is co-executive producer.

    The film features 11-year-old Vrej who lived in Artsakh. After Azerbaijan attacked his village, Vrej and his family escaped and then returned to face devastation.

    My Sweet Land had received the Amman International Film Festival’s Jury Award in July for Best Feature Documentary and the FIPRESCI Award for Best Feature-Length Arab Documentary.

    However, the Royal Film Commission just announced that “Jordan withdrew its submission of My Sweet Land documentary film due to diplomatic pressures” from Azerbaijan, Deadline reported.

    “The Azerbaijan government wrote to Jordan’s Foreign Ministry requesting it reconsider the film’s selection as its Oscar entry, which in turn put pressure on the Jordan’s Royal Film Commission to withdraw the film,” according to Deadline.

    The Azeri media confirmed that Azerbaijan complained to Jordan about its Oscar entry. “We welcome the decision of Jordan to withdraw the film and stop its screening in Jordan,” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada said.

    Director Sareen Hairabedian and producer Azza Hourani told Deadline: “This is very devastating news for our team that an emotional intimate story of a child’s love for his home and family was banned and silenced. As documentary filmmakers, this censorship compels us more than ever to share My Sweet Land protagonist Vrej’s story, which reflects the experiences of countless children around the world today, who deserve to dream freely without the threat of war and conflict.”

    However, it appears that not all is lost. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences “told filmmakers they could submit My Sweet Land for consideration as Best Documentary Feature, if they followed standard qualification procedures. The filmmaking team has scrambled to arrange a qualifying run in the U.S.,” according to Deadline.

    “My Sweet Land will have its North American premiere at DOC NYC on November 16th and 17th, and our qualifying theatrical release will take place at Laemmle Theatres [in Los Angeles] starting November 29th,” Hairabedian and Hourani told Deadline. “We remain committed to sharing our truthful story, undeterred by the obstacles we face.”

    It is sickening that a work of art would fall victim to political pressure. Regrettably, but not surprisingly, “the move to withdraw the film from the International Feature Film category comes amid growing diplomatic and economic ties between Jordan and Azerbaijan, with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov receiving Jordanian officials in Baku in 2024 to discuss further ongoing cooperation,” Deadline reported.

    “Our understanding was that Jordan withdrew the film in order to preserve diplomatic ties between Jordan and Azerbaijan after a complaint from the latter,” the filmmakers told Deadline. “We also learned that after My Sweet Land’s premiere in Jordan at the Amman International Film Festival, Azerbaijan’s embassy had also filed a complaint against screening the film publicly. So, My Sweet Land, a film that was celebrated weeks prior at the festival, was suddenly banned in one of its home countries.”

    “Jordan’s Royal Film Commission is the governing body of the Amman International Film Festival. At that event in July 2024, My Sweet Land won three prizes: Jury Award for Best Arab Documentary, the Audience Award and the International Film Critics Award (FIPRESCI). The documentary premiered in June at Sheffield DocFest, the most prestigious nonfiction festival in the U.K., where it was nominated for the International First Feature Award,” according to Deadline.

    Sheffield DocFest programmers wrote of the film, “Vrej, the subject of Sareen Hairabedian’s impressive feature debut — a striking coming-of-age tale — has grown up in Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan. Since the end of the Soviet era it has witnessed much conflict. The 11-year-old watches birds, plays with friends and dreams of being a dentist. But echoes of the three wars his family have lived through since 1992 are ever-present. His grandmother laments the cycle of ethnic violence: ‘Living in Artsakh means that one day there will be a war and my grandson will participate in that war’. As his school lessons become increasingly militarized and Vrej struggles to hold on to his childhood dreams, his grandmother watches her prophecy unfold.”

    In an email to Deadline, Jordan’s Royal Film Commission (RFC) highlighted the awards earned by My Sweet Land at the Amman International Film Festival and noted that the film “received development funding from the RFC’s Jordan Film Fund in 2021.”

    Armenians worldwide, led by the Armenian Foreign Ministry, should complain to the Jordanian government. They should not let this Azeri pressure on Jordan go unchallenged. Losing Artsakh should not mean that Armenians would also lose the public relations battle where connections and planning replace drones and military might.

    First of all, the Armenian community in Jordan should immediately use all of their contacts with the Jordanian government to demand that the Jordanian Foreign Ministry reverse its decision and not buckle under Azerbaijan’s ugly pressure.

    Secondly, the Armenian Foreign Ministry should send a diplomatic note to the Jordanian government objecting to allowing Azerbaijan to interference in Jordan’s internal decisions.

    Thirdly, Armenians worldwide should contact Jordanian Embassies and Consulates to express their utter displeasure at Jordan succumbing to Azeri threats and intimidation.

  • Baku Hires PR Firm for $4.7 Million To Cleanse Image before Climate Summit

    Baku Hires PR Firm for $4.7 Million To Cleanse Image before Climate Summit

    Azerbaijan’s dictatorial and corrupt government is paying $4.7 million to a US PR firm in order to whitewash its tarnished image prior to hosting the prestigious COP29 international conference in Baku this November.

    In February, Azerbaijan hired the American public relations firm, Teneo Strategy, to make “the warring petrostate look like a Mother Teresa,” according to Nick Cleveland-Stout who wrote in ResponsibleStatecraft.org an article titled, “How Azerbaijan is ‘peacewashing’ its image ahead of COP29; Baku is hosting the climate summit in November with some help from a high-priced PR firm.”

    To earn its excessive pay, Teneo contacted “144 journalists in 88 different global media outlets some 500 times to promote Azerbaijan’s COP29 agenda….  In just one day, the PR firm … treated three journalists to dinner at a five-star hotel restaurant in Nagorno-Karabakh during a media forum. The very next day, one of them celebrated Azerbaijan’s newly established control of the region in an article published in Pakistan. A few weeks later, he tweeted that Azerbaijan is ‘lucky to have such a leader’ in President Ilham Aliyev.” 

    An Azerbaijani official announced that his country had hired Teneo to “establish the COP29’s communications function, including narrative development, initial content development, communications and engagement campaign planning, issues management, organizational development, establishing media relations capability, and media training.” Nick Cleveland-Stout reported that “At least five Teneo executives are always on the ground in Baku — racking up a tab of $350,000 on airfare and hotels to date.”

    Hikmat Hajiyev, Pres. Aliyev’s top advisor, shamelessly announced a “COP29 Truce,” meaning that Azerbaijan is calling on all warring parties in the world to declare a ceasefire during the November conference. Such a deceitful announcement is being made by a country whose leader has been issuing repeated threats to invade Armenia. This reminds us of the biblical admonition: “Physician, heal thyself!”

    Nick Cleveland-Stout wrote: “Azerbaijan has become notorious for flaunting its oil wealth to court foreign officials, lawmakers, and journalists with gifts, free flights, and luxury hotels, dubbed ‘caviar diplomacy’…. According to a trip itinerary obtained by RS [Responsible Statecraft] via a Freedom of Access Act Request, state lawmakers from Maine spent nine days in Azerbaijan in May with flights, food, and lodging paid for by the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the same agency that hosted [NY Mayor Eric] Adams’ aides. Part of the itinerary included two days learning about ‘new development after liberation from occupation’ in Nagorno-Karabakh. ‘Guess I should locate my passport. I am very excited!’ wrote State Representative Jill Duson in response to the invitation. In June, Azerbaijan’s embassy in Washington even hired former Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) in part to coordinate congressional delegation visits to Azerbaijan.”

    Furthermore, Nick Cleveland-Stout mentioned that Azerbaijan had hired another PR company, “The Friedlander Group, a firm retained by Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry, [which] is leading the charge on Capitol Hill in Washington. An email obtained by RS shows that the firm sent an email on September 23 to members of Congress asking them not to sign onto a congressional letter calling for Baku to release Armenian prisoners ahead of COP29.” The firm’s CEO, Ezra Friedlander, wrote to members of Congress “we owe Azerbaijan praise, an apology and an open hand.”

    Returning to the PR firm, Teneo, Nick Cleveland-Stout reported that: “When Azerbaijan flew out some 300 foreign journalists to the newly-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh region for a media forum in July, Teneo held meetings and hosted expensive dinners — during which it discussed interviews with Azerbaijan’s COP leadership team.”

    The RS reporter wrote that: “Three days after meeting with Teneo, the influential Indian newspaper, The Hindu, published an article titled “Climate conference in November to emphasize ‘peace’ and ‘truce.’” The firm also “facilitated a New York Times article featuring [Mukhtar] Babayev [COP’s president] in Azerbaijan that was based in part on a trip to Nagorno-Karabakh.”

    Teneo has assigned a 17-person team to the pro-Azeri PR task. Azerbaijan’s officials are very pleased by the propaganda Teneo is doing for their country. Babayev told Azeri TV that “the government’s media strategy to change international perceptions of Azerbaijan is a success story, including its ‘restoration of territorial integrity,’ referring to its offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh. Without mentioning Teneo by name, he credited a new media team ‘consisting of serious specialists’…. Thanks to the work of this professional team, there has not been a week this year when we have not provided information and made statements to international media…. Now they all understand and see the strength of our country.”

    The most unfortunate issue is that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is the one who allowed Azerbaijan to host the conference by lifting Armenia’s veto in return for the release of 32 Armenian prisoners of war in exchange for two Azeri murderers who penetrated Armenia’s border in 2023 and killed an innocent Armenian worker. 

    While I welcome the return of the 32 Armenian prisoners, I believe that Pashinyan should have bargained for Azerbaijan’s release of all Armenian prisoners of war and the eight Artsakh political hostages held in Baku. Pres. Aliyev was so obsessed with hosting the prestigious UN conference in Azerbaijan that he would have agreed to such a comprehensive deal.

    If Pashinyan had made such a deal, Armenians and sympathetic non-Armenians around the world would not have needed to work so hard to pressure Azerbaijan to release all the Armenian detainees prior to the November conference.

  • Jerusalem Patriarchate Wins Lawsuit To Recover its Vast Properties in Turkey

    Jerusalem Patriarchate Wins Lawsuit To Recover its Vast Properties in Turkey

    In 2019, I wrote about the status of the lawsuit filed in 2012 in Turkey by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem to recover its over one thousand real estate properties confiscated decades ago.

    After going through various legal maneuvers in Turkey for years, the Patriarchate finally won last week a major victory.

    Ishan Erdinc reported the good news on October 4. 2024 in Agos Armenian newspaper of Istanbul in an article titled, “Critical development for the properties of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Turkey: Mar Yakoup Foundation is gaining legal personality.” Mar Yakoup refers to the Armenian Patriarchate of St. James (Sourp Hagop) in Jerusalem.  

    Turkey’s General Directorate of Foundations (GDF) confiscated the Jerusalem Patriarchate’s properties in 1973, describing the Mar Yakoup Armenian Church Foundation, established during the Ottoman Empire, as no longer functional.

    Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian’s 2012 lawsuit was initially rejected by both a lower court in Ankara and the court of appeal. The Patriarch then appealed to the Constitutional Court of Turkey, the highest court in the country, which decided that the lower court had violated the rights of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The lower court then reversed the frozen status of the Armenian Patriarchate’s properties.

    Ali Elbeyoglu, the Turkish lawyer of the Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate, told Agos newspaper that the Patriarchate now has two options. It will either appoint a Turkish citizen as its representative in Turkey to manage the properties, as it was before their confiscation, or they will be managed from Jerusalem.

    Over the years, most of the Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate’s confiscated properties were sold to third parties without any compensation to the Patriarchate.

    Patriarch Manougian has never made a public announcement over the years about the lawsuit he had filed in Turkey. The only media reports were about his multiple visits to Istanbul for undisclosed reasons. Even though attorney Elbeyoglu told Agos that the Jerusalem Patriarchate has over 100 properties in Turkey, Patriarch Manougian, in an exclusive interview, told me in 2019 that the Patriarchate had owned 1,200 properties in Istanbul alone and dozens more throughout Turkey. The Patriarch also informed me that a very large and valuable property owned by the Jerusalem Patriarchate in Yalova, Turkey, formerly a part of Istanbul, was sold by a Turkish-Armenian in the 1950’s to a Turk and then fled to the United States. The Patriarch said he is interested in filing a lawsuit against the heirs of that Turkish-Armenian.

    Attorney Elbeyoglu told Agos last week that the Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate owned a highly valuable “mansion in Kuzguncuk [Istanbul], the title of which was transferred to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, was then demolished.” The Attorney also said that there are “21 properties seized from the Armenian Patriarchate Foundation in Altunizade [Istanbul], [the prominent] Istiklal Boulevard of Istanbul, the Fatih [region of Istanbul] and the City of Adana.”

    It remains to be seen what the Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate will do with the recovered properties and the compensations it will receive for the properties sold long ago to third parties.

    I suggest the Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate form an international commission of highly respected Armenian individuals to oversee the management of these properties and the compensations paid to the Patriarchate. Given the controversy revolving around the sale or lease of the Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate’s properties in Israel, it would be in the Patriarch’s interest to exhibit transparency to avoid secretive business deals and accusations of corruption.

    The anticipated return of these properties is a very positive development since the Turkish government has rarely agreed to give back to their Armenian owners the properties it had confiscated decades ago. In 2011, the Turkish government announced that real estate confiscated from Armenian, Greek and Jewish charitable foundations would be either returned to them or pay compensation for the value of the properties if they have been sold to third parties.

    However, after a number of properties were given back to these minorities, the government halted the process, even though some court cases are still pending.

    I view Turkish efforts to return some of the confiscated Armenian properties as a means to whitewash their historic crimes. Even though we should be wary of such clever Turkish ploys, we should take advantage of every opportunity to recover a portion of what we lost during the Genocide, such as territories, properties, and other assets. And whatever we cannot recover, we need to receive restitution for them.

    This is why Armenians should never forget past injustices and do everything possible to preserve the memory of their losses as long as necessary. Nothing is lost forever. History will take twists and turns and no one knows when the tide will turn in our favor. However, if we ourselves give up our claims, they will be lost forever.