Politics 18:49 15/06/2019 Armenia

Turkey unable to deny the fact of the Armenian Genocide, no matter Ottoman archives are open or closed

“Statements about opening the Ottoman archives are not new. For years, especially since 1987-88 Turkey has constantly been stating about readiness to open the archives to show what they call facts proving their stance,” expert in Turkish studies Anush Hovhannisyan told Panorama.am when asked to comment on the rationale behind the recent call by Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu to open the archives.

To remind, Cavusoglu stated days ago that if Armenia was confident [in its approach] then could accept the proposal on setting up a joint working group to involve also France, Russia. USA. In the ministers’ words, Armenia could even suggest any party to join the working group and open the archives.

Hovhannisyan first questioned the FM’s statement. “What does it mean to open the archives? Turkish archives have been filtered before they are open. There are numerous evidences proving that with many scientists and researchers who had worked in those archives and voiced certain documents were missing. I myself had a chance to visit the Ottoman archives of the Prime Minister. It contained rich materials about the number of population, the economic situation. However, the documents related to the Armenian Genocide are not there. They will never open military archives, including the archives of secret services,” said our interlocutor.

The expert recalled the fact that Talat Pasha and the officers under his command had burned all documentation of the general directives regarding the Armenian Genocide before leaving the Ottoman Empire  and took some materials to unknown directions.

“That is to say the statements of the Turkish side  are aimed at certain circles who are not quite familiar with the issue. Those statements are populist in nature,” said the turkologyst, adding, the archive of Armenia however, is open for Turkish colleagues.  

“I am engaged with the issue of confiscation of the Armenian property in Turkey and quite interested in Turkish land registry and cadaster archives. It is known that in 2005 the digitization of the documents in that archive started and the archive director wrote letter to the head of Turkey’s state security council which dealt and coordinated all activities regarding the issues of the Armenian Genocide. When informed about the existence of those documents the response letter suggested to close the archive and ban access to it to ‘not make a fuss and combat ungrounded claims about the Genocide’. However, the materials leaked to the press with some documents published in media in 2007-20008. That is to say whatever relates to the Armenian Genocide is a taboo in Turkey.”

Hovhannisyan argued that Turkish archives may not contain materials that would deny the fact of the Armenian Genocide. “All archival documents available in the world - whether in German, Armenian and to some extent in Turkish archives come to unequivocally prove there was an intention, action and a Genocide. Thus, Turkey has no chance to deny the fact no matter its archives are open or closed,” explained Anush Hovhannisyan.

As to the idea of setting up a commissions, the expert noted the move is aimed at prolonging the discussions and using them as a pretext  to silence the topic whenever the issues is raised in other parliaments. “That was something Turkey practiced during the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement urging all countries to not interfere as the both parties are discussing the issue. The primary aim of the suggested commission is to prevent resolutions against Turkey,” concluded Hovhannisyan.



Source Panorama.am
Share |
Տեքստում սխալ կամ վրիպակ նկատելու դեպքում, ուղարկեք խմբագրին հաղորդագրություն` նշելով տվյալ սխալը, այնուհետև սեղմելով Ctrl-Enter:

Newsfeed

17:03
National Geographic: How to plan a wine-tasting tour of Armenia
As Armenia prepares to host the 8th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism between 11-13 September 2024, National Geographic rounds up the...
16:32
U,S. Embassy rejects arrested activist Narek Samsonyan's letter
The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan on Friday refused to accept an open letter from arrested opposition activist and Imnemnimi podcast co-host Narek...
16:09
Reporter accuses Armenian authorities of crackdown on dissent
Chairman of the Civic Consciousness NGO, founder of AntiFake.am media outlet, political prisoner Narek Samsonyan wrote an open letter-inquiry to...
15:30
Varsen Aghabekian named Palestine's state minister
Armenian Varsen Aghabekian has been appointed Palestine's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, WAFA reported....
14:54
Ameriabank named Best Bank in Armenia for 2024 by Global Finance
Ameriabank has been named the Best Bank in Armenia by Global Finance magazine in its 31st annual awards for the World’s Best Banks....
14:35
MP Tigran Abrahamyan blasts Pashinyan for threatening Artsakh leaders
Opposition MP Tigran Abrahamyan has decried Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statements in which he slammed Artsakh’s...
13:59
Queen Camilla says Kate is 'thrilled by all the kind wishes and support'
Princess Kate is "thrilled by all the kind wishes and support" after sharing her cancer news, Queen Camilla has said. The...
13:35
MP Levon Kocharyan warns of false statements
Opposition Hayastan faction MP Levon Kocharyan has warned his supporters over false and misleading statements being disseminated on his...
13:08
Armenian expert warns against land handover to Azerbaijan
Political scientist Suren Petrosyan warns that the handover of four border villages in Tavush Province to Azerbaijan would pave the way for the...
12:43
Yerevan Bus head resigns
Yerevan Bus CJSC Director Hovhannes Manukyan has stepped down. "I've submitted resignation today," he said in a social...
12:23
Police raiding homes of Armenian opposition group members
The Armenian authorities are searching the homes of members and supporters of the opposition group National Democratic Pole as well as its...
11:47
Armenian leadership seeking rupture of ties with Russia, Lavrov says
The Armenian leadership is messing up relations with Moscow for no good reason, TASS quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as...
11:30
Today marks Good Friday
The week leading up to Easter or Holy Resurrection is called Holy Week (in Armenian Avak Shabat). During this period, the Armenian Apostolic...
11:15
Political prisoner Narek Samsonyan addresses open letter-inquiry to U.S. ambassador
Chairman of Civic Consciousness NGO, founder of AntiFake.am media outlet, political prisoner Narek Samsonyan wrote an open letter-inquiry to...
11:00
ARF calls for consolidation to save Armenian statehood
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) Bureau issued the following statement on Thursday: "In recent weeks, Nikol...
17:12
She said yes: Marriage proposal at Hayat Project concert in Gyumri
A young man proposed to his beloved at a Hayat Project concert in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city. In a video posted online, the...
16:45
Opposition MP slams Pashinyan's Artsakh statements
Opposition Hayastan faction MP Ishkhan Saghatelyan has expressed support to the Artsakh government in exile following Armenian Prime Minister...
16:04
MP Aghvan Vardanyan visits arrested activists
MP Aghvan Vardanyan, who represents the opposition Hayastan faction, on Thursday visited the Armavir Penitentiary where activists Vazgen...
15:36
Armenian opposition MP visits border villages
Opposition MP Tigran Abrahamyan has visited the villages of Voskepar and Baghanis in Tavush Province adjacent to the border areas demanded by...
15:04
Ex-Yerevan mayor setting up new party
Former Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan is setting up a new party in the near future, his team has confirmed to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service....
14:36
Armenia to send 29.94 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza
Armenia will deliver 29.94 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza ravaged by the conflict with Israel. The decision was approved at a cabinet...
14:07
Expert: Pashinyan decided to terrorize Artsakh leaders
Political analyst Suren Surenyants has criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statements on Artsakh leaders at a cabinet meeting on...
13:35
Analyst: The West doesn't care about Armenia
The West wants Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a peace treaty as soon as possible and Armenia's territorial losses do not matter to it,...
13:06
Moscow concerned over anti-Russian bias of Armenia-EU-US meeting
The Armenia-EU-US meeting scheduled for April 5 is causing Moscow’s concern as Washington and Brussels are openly discussing its...
12:37
Pashinyan: Some circles displaced from Karabakh take actions threatening Armenia's security
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warns that the actions taken by “some circles” forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)...
12:04
Artsakh dissolution decree was 'the only way' to save people, president says
President Samvel Shahramanyan claims his decree ordering the dissolution of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Republic was the “only...
11:30
Japanese supplement products recalled after two deaths and over 100 people hospitalized
Health supplement products believed to have caused two deaths and sickened more than 100 people have been ordered to be taken off store shelves...
11:15
Today is Holy Thursday
The week leading up to Easter or Holy Resurrection is called Holy Week (in Armenian Avak Shabat). During this period, the Armenian Apostolic...
11:00
Upcoming Armenia-US-EU meeting not directed against any third party – Foreign Ministry
The high-level meeting scheduled for April 5 in Brussels is aimed at strengthening Armenia-EU-US cooperation and is not directed against...
17:00
Azerbaijan's team opts out of Sambo World Cup in Yerevan
Azerbaijan's national team will not participate in the Sambo World Cup to be held in Yerevan, Armenia, Azerbaijani Sambo Federation official...

Follow us and get updates!

Most popular articles

{"core.blocks.header.spell_message1":"Selected mistake: ","core.blocks.header.spell_message2":"Send a message about the mistake?"}