EU-DIGEST: TURKS AND ARMENIANS: ITS TIME TO TALK

EU-DIGEST "TURKS AND ARMENIANS: ITS TIME TO TALK

editorial: Rick Morren

The continuous barrage of PR reports coming from the Armenian Community and sympathizers about the so-called Turkish Genocide and the simultaneous unwillingness of the Armenians to accept the recent invitation by the Turkish PM to get together and discuss the issues at hand, seems to make very little sense.

Instead of relying on their endless and obvious costly efforts to convince European Heads of State, US Presidents, European Parliamentarians, US Congressmen and Senators, to officially recognize the so-called Armenian Genocide, Armenians would probably be far better served if they accepted the Turkish invitation for open discussions on the issues surrounding this controversy. After all, at the time of these alleged atrocities, the Armenians were also Citizens of the Ottoman Empire, just like the Turkish People of today were then.

In that context it might be interesting to note that in the 19th century Ottoman Empire - 29 Armenians had the highest governmental rank of Pasha, 22 Armenians became ministers, including Ministers of Foreign Affairs, 33 Armenians were elected to the Parliament, 7 Armenians were appointed as Ambassadors, 11 as Consul Generals, 11 Armenians served in universities as professors.

Building on these positive historical facts would probably be a far better starting point for discussions to begin between Turks and Armenians, than for the Armenians to continue beating the issues at hand to death with questionable one-sided communiqués. Its time to sit down together and talk."