Turkish journalists` visit to Armenia arranged
A group of Turkish journalists have visited Yerevan
in a bid to advance the solution of problems between Turkey and
Armenia through public diplomacy, the influential Turkish Huriyyet
newspaper reported.
Armenia and Turkey have been at odds and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993 on Ankara`s insistence due to Armenia`s policy of occupation of Azerbaijani territory and Armenian claims about an alleged World War I-era genocide.
The journalists, who headed to the Armenian capital as part of the Turkey-Armenia Journalist Dialogue Project, have held a number of meetings with government officials and political leaders.
Emma Mirzabekian, head of the Women`s Resource Center who first hosted the visitors, revealed sensational facts. According to her, such disasters as war, earthquakes and unemployment have turned Armenia into "an Amazon country."
Mirzabekian said that, according to the 2001 census, 2.1 million, out of Armenia`s overall population of 3.15 million, are women. Economic pressures that emerged following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and a powerful earthquake that killed 30,000 people, have caused many men to flee the country. Also, men who died during the Garabagh war in the early 1990s have completely turned the South Caucasus republic into "a country of women."
"60 percent of men are outside the country and the majority of them have abandoned their families, while women are having to work to support themselves and their children. Also, due to the lack of men, instances of one man living with several women are becoming more frequent."
The visit was organized by the German Heinrich Boll Foundation, a non-profit organization striving to promote democracy, equality and a healthy environment internationally, and the International Hrant Dink Foundation.
The Turkish media representatives witnessed a strong desire of the part of the Armenians to achieve recognition of the alleged Ottoman Empire-era genocide. For instance, Ruben Melkonian, an instructor with the Turkish studies section of Yerevan State University`s Western science department, claimed in discussions with them that "they could demand the homes they left behind and compensations after the genocide is recognized."
The government in Yerevan has accused Turkey of genocide against Armenians in the latter years of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern Turkey. The Turkish government says the developments took place as part of clashes with Armenian groups supporting Russia against Turkey during World War I. Ankara insists the killings were not orchestrated by the Ottoman government and has proposed opening Ottoman archives to international scholars to try to resolve the dispute.
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian has said the alleged genocide issue would never be removed from the agenda, and Yerevan`s position on the issue cannot change. From this standpoint, Turkey`s citing any pre-conditions on resolving the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict within Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity or the genocide issue is unacceptable, he claimed.
As for a possible re-opening of the Turkey-Armenia border, the Armenian premier said the issue would be clarified by the time the soccer match is held between the two countries` national teams this fall.
The Turkish and Armenian leaders attended a 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match together in Yerevan in September 2008 when Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish president to visit Armenia. Further, Gul invited his Armenian counterpart to Istanbul for a return game due this September.
Meanwhile, Vardan Oskanian, who served as Armenia`s foreign minister from 1998 until April 2008 said, speaking to the Turkish journalists, that his country`s relations with Turkey may actually deteriorate. He noted that Turkey and Armenia will not be able to make progress in their efforts to normalize relations if Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan brings the Garabagh dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia to the table, noting that relations may even get worse if Turkish officials start to politicize issues such as Armenian workers in Turkey.
"The moment we leave Garabagh out, we can improve Turkish-Armenian relations. If we bring Garabagh in, I really don`t see this happening. Garabagh is a separate issue. My conviction is that if Turkey normalizes its relations with Armenia first, then the Garabagh solution will be much easier."
Oskanian said he first heard Erdogan bringing the Garabagh problem to the forefront three months ago.
"Until that time, I was really hoping that there was a change of policy on the part of Turkey and we would get results," he said in response to questions from the journalists.
Following recent talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, Erdogan said that Azerbaijan`s sensitivity about Upper Garabagh increased Turkey`s sensitivity, too. Erdogan said Turkey had closed its border gates with Armenia because Upper Garabagh was occupied and that it would be impossible to reopen the gates as long as the occupation continues. He also said the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the U.S., Russia and France, should speed up peace talks, which have been continuing for 15 years.
On the other hand, Armenian leaders have been criticizing Erdogan for making the normalization of ties with Armenia conditional on the Garabagh settlement.
Armenia and Turkey have been at odds and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993 on Ankara`s insistence due to Armenia`s policy of occupation of Azerbaijani territory and Armenian claims about an alleged World War I-era genocide.
The journalists, who headed to the Armenian capital as part of the Turkey-Armenia Journalist Dialogue Project, have held a number of meetings with government officials and political leaders.
Emma Mirzabekian, head of the Women`s Resource Center who first hosted the visitors, revealed sensational facts. According to her, such disasters as war, earthquakes and unemployment have turned Armenia into "an Amazon country."
Mirzabekian said that, according to the 2001 census, 2.1 million, out of Armenia`s overall population of 3.15 million, are women. Economic pressures that emerged following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and a powerful earthquake that killed 30,000 people, have caused many men to flee the country. Also, men who died during the Garabagh war in the early 1990s have completely turned the South Caucasus republic into "a country of women."
"60 percent of men are outside the country and the majority of them have abandoned their families, while women are having to work to support themselves and their children. Also, due to the lack of men, instances of one man living with several women are becoming more frequent."
The visit was organized by the German Heinrich Boll Foundation, a non-profit organization striving to promote democracy, equality and a healthy environment internationally, and the International Hrant Dink Foundation.
The Turkish media representatives witnessed a strong desire of the part of the Armenians to achieve recognition of the alleged Ottoman Empire-era genocide. For instance, Ruben Melkonian, an instructor with the Turkish studies section of Yerevan State University`s Western science department, claimed in discussions with them that "they could demand the homes they left behind and compensations after the genocide is recognized."
The government in Yerevan has accused Turkey of genocide against Armenians in the latter years of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern Turkey. The Turkish government says the developments took place as part of clashes with Armenian groups supporting Russia against Turkey during World War I. Ankara insists the killings were not orchestrated by the Ottoman government and has proposed opening Ottoman archives to international scholars to try to resolve the dispute.
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian has said the alleged genocide issue would never be removed from the agenda, and Yerevan`s position on the issue cannot change. From this standpoint, Turkey`s citing any pre-conditions on resolving the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict within Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity or the genocide issue is unacceptable, he claimed.
As for a possible re-opening of the Turkey-Armenia border, the Armenian premier said the issue would be clarified by the time the soccer match is held between the two countries` national teams this fall.
The Turkish and Armenian leaders attended a 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match together in Yerevan in September 2008 when Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish president to visit Armenia. Further, Gul invited his Armenian counterpart to Istanbul for a return game due this September.
Meanwhile, Vardan Oskanian, who served as Armenia`s foreign minister from 1998 until April 2008 said, speaking to the Turkish journalists, that his country`s relations with Turkey may actually deteriorate. He noted that Turkey and Armenia will not be able to make progress in their efforts to normalize relations if Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan brings the Garabagh dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia to the table, noting that relations may even get worse if Turkish officials start to politicize issues such as Armenian workers in Turkey.
"The moment we leave Garabagh out, we can improve Turkish-Armenian relations. If we bring Garabagh in, I really don`t see this happening. Garabagh is a separate issue. My conviction is that if Turkey normalizes its relations with Armenia first, then the Garabagh solution will be much easier."
Oskanian said he first heard Erdogan bringing the Garabagh problem to the forefront three months ago.
"Until that time, I was really hoping that there was a change of policy on the part of Turkey and we would get results," he said in response to questions from the journalists.
Following recent talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, Erdogan said that Azerbaijan`s sensitivity about Upper Garabagh increased Turkey`s sensitivity, too. Erdogan said Turkey had closed its border gates with Armenia because Upper Garabagh was occupied and that it would be impossible to reopen the gates as long as the occupation continues. He also said the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the U.S., Russia and France, should speed up peace talks, which have been continuing for 15 years.
On the other hand, Armenian leaders have been criticizing Erdogan for making the normalization of ties with Armenia conditional on the Garabagh settlement.
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