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7/29/05

The Globe and Mail: Turks and Armenians: Is reconciliation possible? by Ozay Mehmet

The Globe and Mail

Turks and Armenians: Is reconciliation possible? by Ozay Mehmet

Turkey will start accession talks for European Union membership. These talks will be long and hard because Ankara will have to settle, in addition to far-reaching economic, social and political reforms, some difficult questions relating to Cyprus, Kurds and the Aegean, as well as Armenian claims of genocide in 1915. Ankara wants to normalize its relations with Armenia. It has already opened an air corridor between Istanbul and Yerevan, and appears willing to open a border gate for movement of goods and people. But, in return, Ankara has a number of demands of Yerevan. It wishes to see: (1) progress in talks with Azerbaijan over the thorny issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azeri territory now under Armenian occupation; (2) Armenia's endorsement of a joint historical commission to settle the dispute over 1915; (3) suspension of "genocide" claims pending the work of the proposed joint commission; and (4) recognition of current borders and renouncement of implied territorial claims by Armenia.nThe Europeans have given initial support to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's proposal for a joint historical commission, but the future of Turkish-Armenian relations is indexed to the issue of "genocide" claims. This is an exceedingly sensitive matter precisely because it is interwoven with national pride and self-identity on both sides.

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