To Ambassadors of European Union Countries

Posted 03 October 2005

AZAD-HYE (Dubai): On 17th September 2005, just two weeks before the starting date of EU-Turkey membership negotiations, Kuwaiti Arabic daily “Al Qabas” published an article by Kuwaiti Armenian writer Giragos Kuyumjian titled: “To Ambassadors of European Union Countries”.

Below is the complete text of the letter translated from Arabic to English, followed by the response of the Turkish Ambassador in Kuwait who has been occupied during the last year to respond not only to Armenian but also to several local Kuwaiti writers on the same subject.

“I can not, with whatever means available to me, get what I wish through to your presidents, cabinets or parliaments, but I know that you enjoy the honor of representing your countries in this dear country, and that in your capacity as representatives of all those dignitaries we hold all due respect, so I am writing to you, hoping that you will hear me and extend our voice to your president and people.

Your Excellencies Ambassadors of EU countries, as you know that October 3 is the date set to discuss the procedures of Turkey?s joining the European community, so it will become when admitted a member and part of the great, civilized and strong community. It will also enjoy advantages and greatness its members are enjoying, that means Turkey will become in a situation other than its current one, and will be more protected and more immune than now.

Meanwhile, with all sincerity, I too as one of the Armenian people want all the best to Turkey and the Turkish people, the ancient Western neighbor of our country, I also understand the saying ?That if your neighbor is good then you are good,? and naturally I understand and acknowledge what good neighborhood brings of benefits in the fields of economy, security, and stability in general and we are looking forward to excellent ordinary and normal relations with Turkey in all fields, but allow me your Excellencies to go back to Turkey?s position and its immunity after joining the European Union, which in turn is something that worries me, and moreover scares and alarms me and every member of the society.

You Excellency the Ambassadors, we are working hard at all levels, using all our formal and informal capabilities to obtain the official recognition of the massacres that we were subjected to, as well as the insults that our dignities were exposed to at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, followed by oppression regimes Europe and the Middle East have never seen, and they have never suffered from something alike at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Despite the fact that we gained vast recognition and support in international arena, both at major and minor countries? parliament levels, and regardless of the thousands of documents that prove the occurrence of massacres, including the Turkish Archives themselves, we could not get the Turkish confession, all civilized countries failed to convince the Turkish regime to make mends with its past and be gracious enough to admit the crime their grandfathers have committed. So, please tell me Your Excellencies, what will our situation be after Turkey joins the European Union? What catastrophe will hit us and our cause? How are we going to acquire our neglected right? To whom are we going to complain and who do we seek help?

We are small nation, where its young is scattered around the world like a flock of birds attacked by falcons. Our country is surrounded by countries, some of which are holding animosity towards us due to ethnic and expansionist reason. We do not have abundant sources of income, but despite that Turkey closed its borders with us, hence closing the main passage of our country to the world. Blockades were tightened on us day after day only to apply pressures, so who will help us to go over the high wall that surround the Turkish government, which will go higher after its joining to the EU which in turn provides better protection?

It is known that the enemy of your friend is your enemy, and as Turkey considers us as its enemy, you will consider us your enemy as well because turkey has become your friend: What a problem!

Your Excellency The Ambassadors, I wish to request from your countries to help Turkey join your union unless you have any objection, as far as you are concerned or international community, but not before admitting to what had happened to us because of them, and is still prevailing due to their destructive arrogance in dealing with Armenia and other countries as well. It is not right to ignore the rights of people half of which was eradicated by them, because by giving a blind eye to these facts you would install the principal which allows the possibility of massacre committers to escape punishment, and you would encourage others to take them as an example later and hence you will portray Hitler, God forbid, when he proudly said in a speech during WWII who remembers the mass killing of Armenians at the hands of the Turks and I do not believe that you wish to burden your consciousness with such painful load, nor the consciousness of your future generations.

We are the generation of today and are not calling for revenge, and we are not captives of the past. We do not hold grudges and we do not cry, but we also want to preserve our dignity according to the standards of preserving individual?s dignities and according to the memory of respecting the 1.5 million victims of April 24, 1915, and their rights as well as a massive part of our country that was occupied in addition to the approximately one million Armenians who remained in occupied Western Armenia a century ago, together with those other minorities who were forced to accept the ?Turkification? policy against their will. Yes for these reasons and hundreds of other pains we, Armenians, cannot forget what we endured at their hands, as they selfishly expect ?forgive and forget?.

Ambassadors in the name of Consciousness, and morality, do not forget these bitter facts that are unsolved, while you meet in Brussels on the 3rd of October, because this is in the interest of the good and safe society principals, which you fortify, and for the sake of your civilized people?s honor and reputation on the long run.

I thank you in advance, for your understanding, and please accept from us all due respect and God bless you”.

Turkish Ambassador responds

In a letter addressed to Mr. Walid Abdul Latif An-Nesf, Editor-in-Chief of the “Al Qabas” Kuwaiti Arabic daily, published on 23rd September 2005, Turkish Ambassador H.E. Sakir Fakili repeats the well known official Turkish position regarding the Armenians, adding that Turkey has helped Armenia after the 1991 independence by donating wheat and inviting Armenia to take part in the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, although Armenia is not bordering that sea. Following is the translation of the letter titled: “The Turkish Ambassador in Kuwait: What happened to the Armenians was deportation”.

“I read with regret in your esteemed newspaper's Saturday issue dated 17 December 2005 an article by Giragos Kuyumjian with the title “To the Ambassadors of the European Union” and I would like to invite the attention of the readers to some facts:

Turkey is a democratic secular country governed by law since the time when Ataturk established the Republic in 1923, opening thus an age of enlightenment, transforming Turkey to a respectful and civilized member of the family of advanced nations.

On its way to become a member of the European Union, Turkey has fulfilled all the criteria agreed upon on 17th December 2004, with the aim of starting the membership negotiations on the 3rd October 2005. From that date onwards the extremist enemies of Turkey, together with some groups in the European Union, are trying in vain and restlessly to settle their accounts with Turkey before the membership process is completed.

In this respect the Armenian President had recently sent a letter to the EU countries asking them not to start Turkey's entry negotiations, a letter that was not taken into consideration and was even criticized.

Turkey is a strong state and it was and is still able to stand on its feet. For us, membership in the EU is not a struggle rather it is a project for harmony and conciliation among civilizations.

Armenians can join us to create a more developed environment in our region, if they abandon their ambitions in our land and agree to start independent and unbiased historical studies in all related archives regarding their genocide claims. Turkey has clearly expressed its readiness to do such studies, but the Armenian side is always and persistently far from this point.

What happened to the Armenians was not genocide. It was deportation to other places in the Ottoman Empire. It included the Armenians who were in the Eastern Anatolia. They were taken away from war places, where they were collaborating with the invading Russian armies in those times, with the aim of creating their own independent state in places where they were the minority. To achieve their goal they used ethnic cleansing against the Turkish majority. Should religion be a factor to forget this ethnic cleansing? On the other hand, had anybody inquired about the brutal killings during the last three decades by “Armenian terrorists”, which has caused the death of 42 Turkish diplomats? Was this considered crime against humanity?

The Turkish Government had provided wheat to the Armenian nation after they gained their independence, expressing thus friendship, as they were in dire need of help. Turkey has also incorporated Armenia within the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, although it is a landlocked country. But of course our good intentions were fallen on deaf ear.

I would like to mention again that Turkey has completely fulfilled the “Copenhagen criteria” for staring the EU joining negotiations, and the so-called “Armenian Genocide”, that has no court verdict related to it, is not one of these criteria.

All what we are aspiring to from the EU countries is that they be fair”.

Note: Sakir Fakili is the Ambassador of Turkey in Kuwait since September 2004. Born in Gaziantep (Aitab) in 1953, he graduated from the Political Sciences College and worked for the Ministry of Trade for two years before joining the Foreign Ministry.

Giragos Kuyumjian can be reached at: [email protected]