Der Schakal
13.04.05, 17:46
DECLARATION OF "THE GROUP OF RETIRED AMBASSADORS
IN ANKARA AND ISTANBUL" ON ARMENIAN CLAIMS OF "GENOCIDE"
According to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide of 9 December 1948, genocide is a crime under
International Law. This crime can only be committed by real persons. Only a
competent tribunal can determine whether this crime is committed or not. The
tribunal in charge, is either the tribunal of the State in the territories
of which the act was committed or an international penal tribunal as may
have jurisdiction with respect to those Contracting Parties which have
accepted its jurisdiction. The tribunal in charge should recognize the
defendant's right to defend himself or herself and examine the case whether
the crime has been committed or not, and thereby decides accordingly as it
sees fit. Without the existence of such a decision of the tribunal in
charge, the crime of genocide cannot be established "de jure" and a genocide
claim cannot be put forward or defended on legal grounds.
No national parliament, no national senate, local or municipal council, no
individual or association, none of the organs of an international or
regional organisations or an undesignated court, "in lieu" of a competent
court, can have the power to decide on a genocide claim, on whether the
crime has been committed or not. The above mentioned the UN Genocide
Convention is the indivisible part and parcel of the Turkish legal system.
No party or persons should expect the Turkish Government to disregard this
international convention and without resort to a competent court decision,
to label certain persons with the crime of genocide, many of whom may not be
alive any longer. Today not only the Turkish Government but also the
Government of the UK has already declared publicly through their government
spokesman that the events of 1915 cannot be described as "genocide".
Those people who realize that their genocide claims about the 1915 tragedy
are devoid of any legal base, are now trying to substantiate their claims
from a political point and as a "political genocide". Political views of
political organs or politicians and their political reasons are of interest
only to them. But it is categorically unacceptable to allow political
prejudices to purport such a crime.
The purpose of such a behavior is explicit. The leaders of the Republic of
Armenia, in addition to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, openly
designate Eastern Anatolia of Turkey as "Western Armenia" and make no secret
of their national goal "that one day when conditions are more propitious
these lands will become part of their dream of greater Armenia".
Much has been written about the tragic events of 1915, before and after the
decision to relocate Ottoman Armenians to the South East of the State. The
historic documents denote that Armenian militant units lead by the Armenian
members of the Ottoman Parliament rushed to the province of Van,
slaughtering the local Muslim population, provoking a large scale rebellion
in the Eastern part of the Ottoman State.
In the peace negotiations at Sevres which took place in 1920, participating
Armenians demanded that they should be accorded officially "a belligerent
party status" during the war. While these realities stand, those who support
the Armenian demands cannot be allowed to read and interpret certain pages
of history partially at their own discretion, and at the expense of other
pages of history cannot be claimed against neither the Turkish nationals nor
against the Turkish government.
The best proof on this subject is the fact that the Allies of the First
World War, which occupied the capital of the defeated Ottoman Empire, exiled
to the Island of Malta, a group of purported Ottoman offenders against the
Armenians in spite of their access to all the sources they had in their
hands, they could not find any clue to condemn but declared them innocent of
any wrongdoing. Nevertheless, the Ottoman State punished some of the Ottoman
officials as perpetrators against the Armenians and found them guilty of
crimes or because of improper execution of the rules, during the forced
relocations.
There are thousands and thousands of historic documents, full of
contradictions about these tragic events, eye witness accounts, analysis and
interpretations. To analyze the question in an objective manner is
unfortunately obstructed or prevented by Armenian politicians, historians
and their supporters. They are not even ready to talk over the existing
historic documents. What they demand is the undisputed recognition of their
own claims and dogma by others.
It is not realistic to expect from the surviving relatives of the tragedy of
1915 or what has taken place in the beginning of the XXth century, to accept
that nothing has happened. These events can in no way be defended. However
it would be impious to forego some while mourning others. We believe that
these deep wounds created by these sad events should not be rubbed in and
deepen by acts of terror and be provoked by feelings of revenge.
What has to be done now is to take lesson from these sad events in history
and not to provoke again the feelings of hate which prevent peace between
the Turks and the Armenians, but to start with steps forward, to strengthen
the friendship between the Armenian and Turkish nations, which have so many
common cultural traits that they share. There is no doubt that Turkish
Armenians can play a part in the building and strengthening of this bridge
of friendship. In a period when serious efforts are being made to keep the
cultural ties alive between the Turks and Armenians, certain
parliamentarians and other personalities abroad, who are alien to the issue
and burdened with political bias or act with racial instincts, devoid of any
in dept analysis or legal base of the crime of genocide, to purport one
sided claims of crime, is in no way conducive to the desired rapprochement
between the Turks and the Armenians.
We, sincerely invite international public opinion, to think and rethink,
with all the aspects of the issue, and not to be partial, on the assumption
of responsibility of this tragedy, bearing also in mind the beloved memory
of the innocent victims, including 34 Turkish diplomats and the members of
their families, so mercilessly assassinated.
Let there be a culture of peace, to replace the culture of hate between the
Turks and the Armenians.
Ankara, 25 March 2005
IN ANKARA AND ISTANBUL" ON ARMENIAN CLAIMS OF "GENOCIDE"
According to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide of 9 December 1948, genocide is a crime under
International Law. This crime can only be committed by real persons. Only a
competent tribunal can determine whether this crime is committed or not. The
tribunal in charge, is either the tribunal of the State in the territories
of which the act was committed or an international penal tribunal as may
have jurisdiction with respect to those Contracting Parties which have
accepted its jurisdiction. The tribunal in charge should recognize the
defendant's right to defend himself or herself and examine the case whether
the crime has been committed or not, and thereby decides accordingly as it
sees fit. Without the existence of such a decision of the tribunal in
charge, the crime of genocide cannot be established "de jure" and a genocide
claim cannot be put forward or defended on legal grounds.
No national parliament, no national senate, local or municipal council, no
individual or association, none of the organs of an international or
regional organisations or an undesignated court, "in lieu" of a competent
court, can have the power to decide on a genocide claim, on whether the
crime has been committed or not. The above mentioned the UN Genocide
Convention is the indivisible part and parcel of the Turkish legal system.
No party or persons should expect the Turkish Government to disregard this
international convention and without resort to a competent court decision,
to label certain persons with the crime of genocide, many of whom may not be
alive any longer. Today not only the Turkish Government but also the
Government of the UK has already declared publicly through their government
spokesman that the events of 1915 cannot be described as "genocide".
Those people who realize that their genocide claims about the 1915 tragedy
are devoid of any legal base, are now trying to substantiate their claims
from a political point and as a "political genocide". Political views of
political organs or politicians and their political reasons are of interest
only to them. But it is categorically unacceptable to allow political
prejudices to purport such a crime.
The purpose of such a behavior is explicit. The leaders of the Republic of
Armenia, in addition to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, openly
designate Eastern Anatolia of Turkey as "Western Armenia" and make no secret
of their national goal "that one day when conditions are more propitious
these lands will become part of their dream of greater Armenia".
Much has been written about the tragic events of 1915, before and after the
decision to relocate Ottoman Armenians to the South East of the State. The
historic documents denote that Armenian militant units lead by the Armenian
members of the Ottoman Parliament rushed to the province of Van,
slaughtering the local Muslim population, provoking a large scale rebellion
in the Eastern part of the Ottoman State.
In the peace negotiations at Sevres which took place in 1920, participating
Armenians demanded that they should be accorded officially "a belligerent
party status" during the war. While these realities stand, those who support
the Armenian demands cannot be allowed to read and interpret certain pages
of history partially at their own discretion, and at the expense of other
pages of history cannot be claimed against neither the Turkish nationals nor
against the Turkish government.
The best proof on this subject is the fact that the Allies of the First
World War, which occupied the capital of the defeated Ottoman Empire, exiled
to the Island of Malta, a group of purported Ottoman offenders against the
Armenians in spite of their access to all the sources they had in their
hands, they could not find any clue to condemn but declared them innocent of
any wrongdoing. Nevertheless, the Ottoman State punished some of the Ottoman
officials as perpetrators against the Armenians and found them guilty of
crimes or because of improper execution of the rules, during the forced
relocations.
There are thousands and thousands of historic documents, full of
contradictions about these tragic events, eye witness accounts, analysis and
interpretations. To analyze the question in an objective manner is
unfortunately obstructed or prevented by Armenian politicians, historians
and their supporters. They are not even ready to talk over the existing
historic documents. What they demand is the undisputed recognition of their
own claims and dogma by others.
It is not realistic to expect from the surviving relatives of the tragedy of
1915 or what has taken place in the beginning of the XXth century, to accept
that nothing has happened. These events can in no way be defended. However
it would be impious to forego some while mourning others. We believe that
these deep wounds created by these sad events should not be rubbed in and
deepen by acts of terror and be provoked by feelings of revenge.
What has to be done now is to take lesson from these sad events in history
and not to provoke again the feelings of hate which prevent peace between
the Turks and the Armenians, but to start with steps forward, to strengthen
the friendship between the Armenian and Turkish nations, which have so many
common cultural traits that they share. There is no doubt that Turkish
Armenians can play a part in the building and strengthening of this bridge
of friendship. In a period when serious efforts are being made to keep the
cultural ties alive between the Turks and Armenians, certain
parliamentarians and other personalities abroad, who are alien to the issue
and burdened with political bias or act with racial instincts, devoid of any
in dept analysis or legal base of the crime of genocide, to purport one
sided claims of crime, is in no way conducive to the desired rapprochement
between the Turks and the Armenians.
We, sincerely invite international public opinion, to think and rethink,
with all the aspects of the issue, and not to be partial, on the assumption
of responsibility of this tragedy, bearing also in mind the beloved memory
of the innocent victims, including 34 Turkish diplomats and the members of
their families, so mercilessly assassinated.
Let there be a culture of peace, to replace the culture of hate between the
Turks and the Armenians.
Ankara, 25 March 2005