Ankara, Jerusalem coordinate positions on urgent issues in Caucasus

February 18, 2010 - 11:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
Despite the ongoing crisis in Israeli-Turkish relations, Ankara and Jerusalem coordinate positions on urgent issues in Caucasus.

On February 16, high-ranking diplomats led by Pinchas Avivi, Deputy Director-General at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, held consultations in Ankara. Mr. Avivi said later that cooperation with third countries, specifically Caucasian, was in focus. Remaining Azerbaijan’s closest ally and caring about the rights of Azerbaijanis in Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey has firmly decided to sign an agreement with Armenia, according to him.

Asked by IzRus about the motion on the Armenian Genocide recognition which can be soon discussed in Knesset, Mr. Avivi said, “Our official position remains unchangeable. This is an issue to be resolved by Armenia and Turkey. We stand against any interference of third countries.”

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.

The Armenian-Turkish Protocols

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

Commenting on the CC ruling, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “it contains preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols.” ”The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same allegiance from the Armenian government,” the Ministry said.