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Het Financieele Dagblad (Dutch newspaper)
June 24, 2004

An article in the Dutch daily newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad on June 24 2004 about the opinion of Turkey expert Dr. Hilmar Kaiser from Germany on the chances of recognition of Armenian Genocide by Turkey.

Het Financieele Dagblad (Dutch newspaper)

June 24, 2004

"Recognition of genocide will help Turkey progress"

Turkey is high on the Dutch agenda with a view to an EU membership. According to Turkey-expert Hilmar Kaiser openness of the past will increase the chances.

BY OUR EDITOR

AMSTERDAM - Under Dutch presidency, the European Union will decide in December whether candidate member Turkey receives a date on which negotiations can begin for accession. The case is sensitive politically because, among other factors, Turkey is a Muslim state, as written in a recent report of the Scientific Council for Government Policy. It is also notable that politicians scrupulously avoid the debate on the concealed Turkish genocide of 1915 on 1.5 million Armenians. Wrongly, finds Hilmar Kaiser, who was promoted at the European University in Florence after studying Turkish archives on this matter. Kaiser is prohibited by the Turkish authorities to carry out further archival research. Nevertheless the Turkey expert is optimistic at this moment. Recently he spoke about his research in Amsterdam.

- How do you estimate the chances of recognition of the genocide?
"To approach the EU Ankara has already done serious work on the Kurdish problem and the Cyprus question. Judging the capabilities of Erdogan and Gül, the current political leaders, I expect that the government will carry out very generous solutions for the Armenian question. I think, however, that they still need some time, because otherwise, in the eyes of the military leaders, there will be too much confusion. It must, however, happen before Turkey becomes an EU member. I have high hope that this will happen as well."

- What is the basis for your hope?
"This is the first government that in fact breaks with the kemalists, the followers of Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey, who radically enforced the separation of Church and State. Apart from the opposition, the current politicians have nothing to do with people who have the genocide on their conscience. Erdogan and Gül are ordinary Muslims. Their supporters originate from people who had then saved Armenians with danger for their own lives. This government has, as far as I know, no links with the mafia, the military elite, the secret service and the media industry."

- You are now referring to the car accident in Susurluk in 1996.
"Yes.A high police force officer, a member of Parliament, a mafia boss and a beauty diva were involved. Then it became clear how the Turkish establishment is interwoven with criminal gangs. This government has nothing to do with that and has strong roots in a democratic tradition. Therefore, I do not think that there are still reasons to keep Turkey outside the EU in the long run, especially if Erdogan recognizes the genocide. Because I do not see another government doing it so soon. Moreover this will help Turkey enormously."

- In which respect?
"Erdogan is able to push the door open for a completely new future for Turkey and also for the Caucasus Region. He will not do that primarily to please the EU, but out of personal interest. Because in the long run I see a leading role for Turkey in the whole region. I consider Erdogan able to do so. With the recognition of the Armenian genocide Turkey also provides itself with the legitimacy to develop into a real regional power. Recognition is in the Turkish interest. Problems do not get solved by blurring or by denying them."

- What stops Turkey then?
"Not Erdogan, because he is in fact pleading for renewal and emancipation. You still find the opponents in all parts of the state apparatus and in the current opposition party CHP. That party depicts Erdogan's party AKP as Muslim fundamentalist that tries to frustrate the reforms. CHP represents the tradition of the genocide committers, Young-Turks, who for more than eighty years had the power and up to 1950 sat in the government and owned the banks. Their ideas are also widespread under Turks in Europe. They still play the same game, but they are losing their influence."

- This sounds like a revolution.
"This is exactly so. At this moment a lot is happening in Turkey and that is a delicate process. AKP finds its basis among the ordinary population in Eastern Turkey. It is striking that exactly this Muslim government releases the Kurdish human rights activist Leyla Zana. A kemalist government would never do that."

- New York Life recently reached a settlement of millions of dollars with Armenian heirs because of unpaid policies.
"This can be compared to the Jewish credit balances. There are more financial institutions with genocide money, both abroad and in Turkey itself. With the Armenian properties state ventures were established that still exist today. The Turkish government must take the initiative to blow off the lid. Transparency in companies is, in this respect, a condition for economic and democratic development in that region. This matter should not be seen in terms of what it costs, but in terms of new chances. That will also make Turkey more attractive for foreign investors."

- In the West too the term "genocide" concerning Armenians is sometimes avoided. How do you see that?
"That is politically motivated. It was the first modern genocide, complete with strategy and medical experiments. And also concerning the number of 1.5 million no doubt can exist. I'll spare you the details."

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Reformatorisch Dagblad, Dutch daily
18 June 2004

Armenian genocide: important indeed

Reformatorisch Dagblad, Dutch daily
18 June 2004

Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey was on a visit to Prime Minister Balkenende on Wednesday. The Armenian genocide must be an issue in the discussions between the Netherlands and in particular Balkenende and the Turkish leaders. The past must be cleared before Turkey can truely become a democracy within the European Union, says Master of Laws Inge Drost.

Prime Minister Balkenende received his Turkish colleague Erdogan on Wednesday. High on the agenda stood the chances of Turkey’s date for the commencement of accession negotiations with the European Union, which will be decided by the EU in December during the Dutch presidency.

The Dutch policy so far has firmly established itself concerning the meeting of the criteria. As such State Secretary Nicolai remained steadfast on 4 April in Maastricht: a deal is a deal. He indicated that there is still a long way to go. Also the parliamentary fractions are not inclined to compromise. They wait for the report of the European Commission concerning Turkey. Fortunately much has already improved in Turkey and the view on the EU membership has produced many miracles.

On one point however still hardly anything has changed: the denial of the Armenian genocide, and with that of its own history. During the Armenian genocide in the period 1915-1918 approximately 1.5 millions Armenians perished as victims of the Ottoman Empire; other Christian minorities such as Assyrians and Greeks were also killed.

The taboo around this subject in Turkey is deep. No wonder, people do not know better, it does not hold a place in history books. And although now more people are informed and a very small top of the intelligentsia would gladly want this question to be made open for discussion, for Turkey and many Turks - also in the Netherlands - it has become a "question of honour".

The extreme right organisation of the Grey Wolves first, but also the ordinary Turks consider the Turkish version of the history as truth. And that will remain so even this way, considering the Turkish government makes enormous efforts to keep its version of the history intact. Last year by the decree of Turkish ministry of education primary school students - also Armenian children - had to write an essay in which the denial of the Armenian genocide was argued.

Also conferences have been organised concerning this topic. A teacher who tried to introduce the fact of the Armenian genocide on such a conference was arrested, as well as six colleagues. The conception which it does understandably well is: we Turks do not do something like that and we are proud of our history.

Respect
Fortunately we are living in the Netherlands, one would think. Values and standards, respect for each other's history. To deny the holocaust is unthinkable (and illegal). But denying the Armenian genocide has not been prohibited. Crazily enough, speaking of the Armenian genocide in the Netherlands was not done for a long time. Many Dutch people knew of nothing, most of the political parties did not pay attention concerning this matter. But that time is gone.

The Dutch public is reasonably well-informed through many publications. The centre for holocaust and genocide studies regularly pays attention to the Armenian genocide. The public also indicates to be embarrassed because of lack of recognition in the Netherlands.

Also more and more Turks in the Netherlands would gladly see an end come to this embarrassing case. Without recognition the problems remain, also in the Netherlands between Armenians and Turks. The integration of Turks is hampered.

Concerning the Parliament: during the demonstration of 24 April committee of the Armenian Federation in the Netherlands Member of Parliament of no less than five fractions (together well for 95 seats in the Parliament) openly spoke in the Plein square in the middle of The Hague, on a stage with a microphone, concerning the Armenian genocide and how wrong its denial is. There could have been still more parlamentary fractions.

Change
And the Dutch government? On the site of the ministry, however, there is a clear description of the events during the first world war with respect to Armenians on the history of Armenia. The description contains the most important elements of the definition of genocide, such as described in the UN Treaty of 1948 concerning the prevention and the punishment of genocide.

Of the members of government at the ministry of foreign affairs one would not have expected that they would take genocide in the mouth for a long time. The taboo was too great. But change has come. In the last few days the tendency seems to have been reversed. Minister Bot of Foreign Affairs emphasised in the Parliament how important it is that the Netherlands and other countries continue to exercise much pressure on this point on Turkey. We have spoke with our Turkish colleague concerning the Armenian genocide, says Bot. Moreover the relations with Armenia have a particular attention in the discussions. Of the Turks Bot says that they are themselves very aware of the elaboration of the Netherlands and other countries. A new sound from the minister.

The Armenian community has had fight worldwide for recognition of its history, also the most important reason that she is spread over the whole world. In many countries, in the past few years among others in France, Switzerland and Canada, parliaments have seized an unorthodox means by explaining that they explicitly recognise the Armenian genocide. Against just as uncommon as reprehensible disavowal no other means was available to create the desired clarity.

In the Netherlands the 24 April Committee has pleaded for several years, supported by Dutch scientists, journalists and also politicians, for official recognition of this genocide.

In a petition of 24 April Committee this year, the government and parliament were asked over the decision-making on a possible date which would start negotiations with Turkey concerning accession to the EU to explicitly recognise the Armenian genocide. For some Member of Parliament oaths and for the government this matter is more cumbersome it seems than recognition. They are afraid that a new condition for accession of Turkey is aimed at. That would endanger the discussions with Turkey. However, it is no new condition.

Arguments
There are two arguments for a careful Dutch decision which always return. It does not concern the Dutch government to pronounce a value judgement and by occupying itself with this question, one aims too much at the past instead of on the present and future.

It is time to view these arguments in another light. Does a value judgment fit in the Netherlands? As President of the "value community" that the EU wants to be, the values in practice must be also carried out. The democratic strengths in Turkey ask for such judgments, they stimulate nternal discussion. Also the Netherlands (and especially the minister-president) gladly profiles himself with our value - and standard culture. This way there is a special value conference in September, those Dutch standards and values such as export Article want to use. It is time to prove our reputation in the international law also in this question and in explicitly recognising the Armenian genocide. For the Netherlands: not only talk, but act also as a "value community".

Also the second argument - look too much to the past - is senseless. Not only is there absolutely no means for the Member States on the genocide to return to it after accession of Turkey, there is also no real view whether further improvements exists, as Amnesty warn international in a report. Firstly the black past must be clearred. Only afterwards it is possible for history to be history. In the words of Member of Parliament Ferrier (CDA): The genocide which is not recognised, remains alive. To express attention to this unsolved matter does not testify of looking backward, but of look ahead.

What PM Balkenende has said in this area to his colleague Erdogan is a guess. But the clearer it is stated that now really and irreversible (and not only for the inspecting eye of Europe) an end must be made to disavowal and that the history must be recognised such as that is, all the more Ankara will be ensured how Europe’s seriousness with the Turkish candidateship is. Succesfully bringing this point to an end will give that brilliance the Dutch presidency which is responsible for the Netherlands and her reputation in the field of international law. For the Turks the door is opened to more true democracy. And finally justice will be done to the victims of the Armenian genocide.

The author, who wrote this Article on personal title, is the secretary of the Armenian Cultural Association Abovian in The Hague and member of 24 April Committee of the Armenian Federation.

Last year the Turkish ministry of education stipulated that students of all primary schools in Turkey have to write an essay in which the denial of the Armenian genocide was founded.

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Reformatorisch Dagblad
May 21 2004

Turkey in EU only after reconciliation with Armenia

Reformatorisch Dagblad

21 May 2004

The relation between Turkey and Armenia must be re-established before the admission of Turkey to the European Union can be considered, states prof. dr. J. A. B. Jongeneel.

The European Union (EU) will probably decide this year upon the possibility and desirability for allowing Turkey to become a member in the long run. The Netherlands will soon be President and will therefore have extra responsibility.

It is extremely remarkable that neither Dutch policy, nor the Dutch press publicly pay attention to the broken relation between Turkey and its neighbouring country Armenia. This relation must be re-established before a EU membership of Turkey can be considered seriously.

When Turkey is admitted to the EU in the long run, we will become direct neighbours of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Syria. This article will only discuss the external border with Armenia.

Change

Approximately 99 percent of Turkey is Moslem today. A century ago, however, this was entirely different. An estimated 77 percent was Moslem and approximately 22 percent was Christian. At that time most of the Christians in Turkey belonged to the Armenian church or the Greek Orthodox church. In the past century Christianity in Turkey has thus on the one hand been excessively marginalised and on the other hand Islam has developed into a religion which has an uncontested monopolised position. This development to a mono religious society - with barely any churches, synagogues and temples still in use - is problematic.

The enormous degradation of the number of Christians in Turkey at the end of the nineteenth century and in first half of the twentieth century has been caused by terrible events there. Two things stand out. First of all the 'exchange' of population between Greece and Turkey, which was enforced by the politicians at that time: approximately 1,000,000 Greek orthodox were forced to move from Turkey to Greece, and approximately 400,000 Moslems from Greece to Turkey.

Much more terrible than this "ethnic cleansing" was the deportation and the massacre of approximately 1,500,000 Armenians. This genocide, dating from the time before Atatürk came to power in Turkey, is still strongly denied by the current government of Turkey. Without batting an eye, Turkish historians also deny this historically well-established fact.

Compensation

Similar to Germany being able to become a full member of Europe after the second world war only by doing penance and giving compensation, present-day Turkey must also be able to qualify as a member of the EU right after recognition of and dealing with the above mentioned genocide. The Netherlands as temporary president of the EU must take the initiative for the reconciliation by means of a thorough historical study into the charged past.

The best way for this to happen is through an EU commission of two Turkish, two Armenian and two European top historians (with a European President), with the task to describe and analyse the said genocide within a maximum of five years and consequently indicate the ways to re-establish the mutual relations. A "great reconciliation" is desirable and subsequently history books should be rewritten for Turkish schools and other Turkish institutions.

This way Turkey can not only learn how it had lost its multi religious and multicultural society in one hundred years’ time, but also learn how it can regain this in the coming one hundred years. Reorientation will also be necessary for Armenia. As the victims of the apartheid in South Africa have required that peace be based on justice, in the same way the Armenians too will have their conditions for the reconciliation with Turkey.

The Netherlands

The admission of Turkey to the EU in the long run is one of the greatest European questions of this moment. Nevertheless it plays no role of meaning in the run-up to the European elections. Let us hope that the Dutch government will exploit its temporary presidency of the EU to turn the Armenian Genocide into a hard point of negotiation in the discussion concerning the admission of Turkey to the EU and will pursue an equitable reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey.

The author is professor emeritus in missiology at the university of Utrecht.

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ANP 4-24-2004

Armenian community commemorates genocide

ANP (Dutch news agency)
April 24, 2004

ASSEN (ANP) - On Saturday, hundreds of people participated in the annual
commemoration of the Armenian genocide. The commemoration took place at the memorial in cemetery de Boskamp in Assen. Various speakers called on the Dutch and Turkish governments to recognize the Armenian genocide.

M. Hakhverdian of the Armenian Federation called acknowledgement of the
genocide by Turkey "a basic condition for accession of the country to the
EU". Stand-up satirist Freek de Jonge, one of the guest speakers at the
commemoration, said he was ashamed of the Dutch government's position
regarding the genocide. As opposed to countries like Sweden, Switzerland,
Belgium and since this week also Canada, the Dutch government has hitherto
not proceeded to recognize the genocide. "What else can I say but: we feel
ashamed", according to Freek de Jonge.

The Armenian genocide has faded from the memories of many according to De
Jonge. "The word genocide does not sound as familiar as holocaust. It still
does not have a museum." He thus called upon the Netherlands to proceed
towards the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. "Where remains this guide
country that appears to have lost its way?"

The commemoration in Assen closed a week of actions by the Armenian
community in the Netherlands. Last Wednesday, the Federation of Armenian
Organizations in the Netherlands offered a petition to the Dutch Parliament.
The Netherlands was again called upon to recognize the Armenian genocide.
The "forgotten genocide" cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians.

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April 24 Committee 4-23

PRESS RELEASE

Federation of Armenian Organisations in Netherlands (FAON)
24 April Committee

April 23, 2004

Recognition Armenian genocide in The Netherlands a step closer

THE HAGUE - On April 21, 2004, several hundred protesters urged for recognition of the genocide of 1915 on Armenians in Turkey and expressed necessity for Turkey to recognize the genocide before a date is set for negotiations regarding accession of Turkey to the EU.

The Chairman of the Fixed Comission for European Affairs of the parliament, Mrs. S. Dijksma, received the petition given by a survivor of the Armenian genocide in the presence of MPs Van Bommel (Socialist Party), Huizinga (Christian Union) and Van Der Staay (Reformed Party). Next a petition was offered to the Dutch government at the Ministry of General Affairs. The door and mailbox remained closed at the Turkish embassy. The demonstrators had no other choice but to leave the letter on the doorknob.

During the demonstration on Plein square in The Hague MPs of the CDA (Christian Democrats, PvdA (Labor Party), GroenLinks (Green Left) and SP (Socialist Party) spoke to the demonstrators. In their speeches the MPs underlined the importance of recognition of the Armenian genocide. Moreover it became clear that the fraction of these parties, who together form the majority in parliament, factually recognize the genocide. With this the recognition in the Netherlands of the genocide on 1.5 million Armenians in the latter years of the Turkish-Ottoman Empire has come a step closer.

Although the views of the parties and that of the 24 April Committee concerning the recognition of the Armenian genocide are closely related, there is a difference in the role recognition should play in the decision-making of a date for negotiations with Turkey on the potential accession of this country to the EU. In the next few weeks thoughts will continue to be exchanged betwwen the 24 April Committee and the MPs.

The demonstration was the first in a series of activities that the 24 April Comitte of the Armenian Federation has organized with the aim for recogntion by Turkey of the Armenian genocide of 1915.

The yearly solemn commemoration of the Armenian genocide will be held this April 24 from 1pm onwards at cemetery De Boskamp in Assen at the Armenian memorial. After laying a wreath, a ceremony will be held in the auditorium of the cemetery. Among others, Freek de Jonge, Paul Scheffer and Leen van Dijke will speak, as well as the ambassador to Armenia in the Benelux, Vigen Chitechian.

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Please send your reactions to: info@abovian.nl.

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Het Financieele Dagblad
4-22-2004

Turkey refuses petition Armenian genocide

Het Financieele Dagblad
April 22, 2004

THE HAGUE - In a petition on Wednesday, the Federation of Armenian Organizations in The Netherlands (FAON) called on the Dutch government to recognize the genocide on 1.5 million Armenians in 1915 in Turkey. The Turkish embassy in The Hague refused to receive a petition with a similar purpose. FAON wants Turkey to recognize the genocide before negotiations on Turkey's accession to the EU begin. The organization also wants the Dutch government to adopt this condition. In the petition the FAON speaks of a "forgotten genocide". The genocide has been recognized by several other EU-countries, but not yet by the Netherlands that portrays itself as the "judicial capital" of the world. A few hundred demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building to support the petition.

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ANP April 21 2004-

"The Netherlands must recognize the Armenian genocide"

ANP (Dutch news agency)
April 21, 2004

Parliament

The Hague (ANP) - The Federation of Armenian Organizations in the Netherlands, on Wednesday, called on the Dutch Parliament to recognize the genocide on hundreds of thousands of Armenians in Turkey. Turkey too would have to recognize this crime which began in 1915, before negotiations can begin for Turkey's accession to the European Union.

In a petition that the organization submitted to several members of parliament, the organization spoke of a "forgotten genocide". The massacre has already been recognized by several other EU-countries, but not yet by the Netherlands that tends to portray itself as the "judicial capital" of the world.

MP Dijksma (Labor Party), chairman of the fixed commission for European Affairs, received the petition and promised to read the document carefully and discuss it in view of The Netherlands's EU-presidency later this year. Then a date will be set with Turkey to begin the negotiations for accession. The Federation of Armenian Organizations wants the genocide to be recognized by Turkey before the negotiations begin. It asks of the Dutch parliament to adopt this condition.

Socialist Party MP Van Bommel said that it is important to put this "sensitive issue" on the political agenda. "The Dutch government never uses the words genocide, recognition and Armenia at the same time. This is a good opportunity to change that."

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NRC April 15 2004

Turkey must recognize Armenian genocide
By Peter van Ham

NRC Handelsblad (Dutch newspaper)
April 15, 2004

As long as Turkey denies the Armenian genocide, it does not belong in "Europe", believes Peter van Ham.

It is incredible how selective our notion of history is. While the persecution of the Jews has a prominent place in Western history books, the other massacres are entirely forgotten. And the older and further down in history the genocide was perpetrated, the weaker the emotional echo becomes. This also applies to the Turkish genocide of 1915 on the Armenian population that cost the lives of more than one million citizens and which will be commemorated worldwide next week.

Consecutive Turkish governments have refused to recognize this dark chapter in their history. However, now that Turkey will most likely begin with negotiations to access the European Union, it is high time Ankara recognized the malicious and systematic eradication of the Armenian population by the Turkish army. Whoever wants to become a member of the EU, must - analogous to the German mea maxima culpa after World War II - be honest about its history. After all, the EU is also a value community and countries that deny a genocide do not belong in it.

During the period between 1915-1918, the Turkish army evacuated almost all the Armenian villages in the Ottoman Empire and killed hundreds of thousands of citizens or deported them from Western Turkey to Syria through barbaric hunger marches. These events are very well documented and though there is a slight disagreement over the exact number of victims, one thing is certain: this was the first genocide of the 20th century that moreover served as a model for Hitler's holocaust. After all, the Nazis could conclude from the lukewarm reactions in the West that they too could get away with the destruction of the Jews as long as it was carefully kept out of the attention of the international media.

This is not about not letting bygones be bygones. But when Turkey becomes a full member of the EU in a few years, Armenia will be our direct neighbor. However, the Armenian-Turkish relations are still very bad, particularly because this historical angle was never taken out. The government in Yerevan demands of Turkey to recognize the genocide as a historical fact. Armenia is supported in this by various European parliaments.

As such, among others, the French, Belgian, Greek and Swiss parliaments have urged Ankara to admit the genocide; the European Parliament already declared in 1987 that Ankara's refusal to recognize the historical events forms an obstacle for Turkey's EU-membership. Pope John Paul II has also called on Turkey to take this step. The American Congress finally decided in 2000, after much debate, that the Armenian genocide should not be considered important for discussion, especially after Turkey threatened to close the American military bases in her country.

The Netherlands has a very small Armenian community, therefore the question has not yet been placed on the political agenda. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Bot refused to recognize the Armenian genocide as a relevant fact in a parliamentary debate last December. This is not only surprising, but moreover unwise. How would we react if comtemporary Germany would label the holocaust as historically incorrect and irrelevant?

There are examples which confirm that the mere recognition of a historical truth can lead to political approachment and even renewed trust between countries. One can think of the conflict over the massacres in Katyn for instance. Only in 1990 the Russian government recognized that the Soviet army killed 4400 Polish soldiers, and not - as was claimed for so long - by the Nazi's. Last month the Croatian government also made a start to judge its history in all honesty. The initiative of prime minister Ivo Sanader to investigate and recognize the crimes of the Croatian Ustase during World War II, fit in her aim to access the EU in the near future. This example should be followed by Turkey.

After all, the precarious point is that the process of the European unification is in its mutual political trust and solidarity. The EU is not a temporary cooperative union, but a design for a new political entity. Without solidarity and honesty the EU has no future. This is a great difference between Europe and other continents. Considering that Japan has never recognized that during World War II the greatest crimes were committed in Korea and China, every form of cooperation remains superficial. If Turkey wants to be a part of Europe it will have to learn a lesson from the examples of Germany and Japan. We can only speak of true "Europeanization" when Ankara recognizes the historical facts unambiguously. This means that the Armenian genocide must be included in Turkish history books, with which an end will finally come to the Ottoman view that Turkey is one way or the other superior to its neighboring countries.

Dr. P. van Ham is a substitute chief investigator of the Institute Clingendael.