Re: Op-Ed in LA Times by Turkish Consul General of Los Angeles

January 29, 2007

Turkish Consul General, A. Engin Ansay, once again illustrated that nothing much has changed in official Turkey's aggressive campaign of Armenian Genocide denial.

The “grand gesture” calling for the formation of a "commission of historians and other experts to study records of the events of 1915" is nothing more than a public farce crafted to show the world Turkey’s willingness to discuss its dark past, a willingness which unfortunately does not yet exist. This transparent attempt is a mockery of not only the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide, but also a mockery of scholarly thought.

The Armenian Genocide has already been thoroughly documented in numerous sources, has been recognized by such experts as the International Association of Genocide Scholars and is not a matter of debate. By characterizing the Armenian Genocide as a “disputed period of history”, Ansay seeks to obscure the historical facts. Indeed, the only place it is "disputed" is within the borders of Turkey itself.

Just as Iranian President Ahmadinejad was recently condemned by the international community for hosting a forum to debate the facts of the Holocaust so must the Turkish government be condemned for their attempts of distorting history and “state-run fanaticism.” It is only through proper historical understanding, not spurious statements of scholarship that the real process of reconciliation can begin.

Unfortunately, it seems that Turkey is still not ready to come to grips with the dark pages of its history. Only by recognizing the Armenian Genocide can it signal a change in its adversarial policy towards Armenia and open the way for constructive dialogue between the two peoples based on truth and justice.

Armenian Youth Federation

Western Region