Comments on: Twice confirmed: Armenia ‘ready’ to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey.

by: Paul

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:17:27 -0800

This post was an excellent analysis. Thanks for the post, we can only hope Turkey can step up to the plate a bit on this one…

by: Observer

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:34:55 -0800

Armenia Blog has updates on the issue:

"Turkey aspires to enjoy friendly ties with all of its neighbors on the basis of mutual trust and respect and we want to establish ties with Armenia as well." [said Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül] But he noted that Armenia should not come up with unfair demands from Turkey – such as the recognition by Ankara of the alleged genocide of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Empire – in return for normalization of bilateral ties. On genocide claims, Gül repeated the Turkish government's proposal to set up a joint commission of Turkish and Armenian academics to study allegations.

by: nazarian

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:02:38 -0800

The voices opposed to the opening of the border with Turkey are at the margins of the society in Armenia. The two links you have are for ARF mouthpieces. ARF is a minor force in Armenia and cannot affect the processes in this direction even though they have a few ministers and the president is a closet ARF, too. Time and time again they have refused to take responsibility for the actions of the government they are part of so I highly doubt that they will do so in the case for opening the border.

by: Observer

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 12:17:32 -0800

The mood of piece and friendship doesn't seem to have lasted long, and what's even worse the possibility of dialogue is fading away as fast as it was coming, read more at Turkish Daily News: "Armenian offer should not be rejected" and Turkish Weekly: "Armenia Exploits the Funeral".

by: Aris Arakelian

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 19:59:10 -0800

I hope Turkey’s government should realize that this is a golden opportunity for both sides,it will benefit Turkey’s EU aspirations since normal relations with all neighbours is a precondition for EU membership.And it will benefit Armenia as well.Now that Armenia confirms it is ready to open border without any precondition (ie. genocide recognition)it would be unfair if Turkey sticks to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,after all Azerbaijan is only a third party and should not meddle in with the relation between countries,besides if closed borders with Armenia would benefit Azerbaijan in the confrontation with Armenia in these 14 years something should have happened,but nothing happened in favor of Azerbaijan and the land is still in Armenian hands and certainly will remain in Armenian hand since the international community never recognized Armenia as a aggressor,Armenians were being killed in Azerbaijan and any responsible government in Yerevan would do the same and would help them,so Turkey wake up and move on………….

by: arapo

Sat, 03 Feb 2007 01:14:34 -0800

Sadly, the vast majority of Turks are not psychologically ready to accept the fact that the founders of the modern Turkish state, in collusion with their new western allies, saw fit to conveniently cover up the mass killings and deportations at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Hrant Dink summed it up best when he said that, and I paraphrase, “Yes, the vast majority of Turks are familiar with the concept of GENOCIDE and would agree that it is a horrific act against humanity. Thus, it is almost out of the realm of possibility that the Turk of today could ever contemplate that his antecedents were responsible for such an act.”

We can all hope that things change for the best in Turkey. But the issue of the Armenian Genocide will remain a MYTH for most in that country for decades to come, regardless of whether or not their govt is pressured from the outside to accept its reality.