MARIE YOVANOVITCH: OUR EMBASSIES TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.07.2008 17:37 GMT+04:00
The U.S. Embassy in Ankara is committed to working with the Government
of Turkey on ways in which the atrocities of 1915 can be studied,
U.S. Ambassador-Designate to Armenia Marie L. Yovanovitch said in
her response to Senator Obama’s question "What steps is the State
Department taking to encourage greater study and recognition of the
Armenian Genocide in Turkey?"
"As a recent example, the Administration is currently laying the
groundwork for an International Visitor Program that would bring
archivists from the Turkish State Archives to the U.S. to look at
the ways in which we do historical research. As a confidence building
measure, the USG has contacted Armenian archivists to participate in
the program, in the hope that, upon return, the archivists from both
countries could work together on a joint program that would study
the issue.
In addition, our Embassies take every opportunity in meetings with the
Governments of Armenia and Turkey, and with civil society leaders from
both countries, to encourage improved dialogue between them. Since
2006, the USG has provided over $700,000 in support of initiatives
to increase people-to-people connections between Armenia and Turkey,
including research projects, conferences, documentary production,
and exchange and partnership programs with the goal of increasing
cross-border dialogue and cooperation. These programs are focused on
bringing together Armenian and Turkish NGOs, think tank researchers,
academics and business leaders at the grass roots level by creating
opportunities for them to work together on common projects that will
benefit both countries," Amb. Yovanovitch said, the ANCA reports.
Asked "How will you work with your counterparts in Ankara to
decriminalize discussion of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey? Is the
Department satisfied with recent modifications to Article 301 of
Turkey’s Criminal Code that allowed individuals such as Hrant Dink to
be prosecuted for speaking about the Genocide? Why or why not?" she
said, "The Administration has made clear to the Turkish authorities
on many occasions that such prosecutions violate free expression,
run counter to Turkey’s aspiration to join the European Union, and
undercut Turkey’s strategic significance as an example of a secular
democracy that can inspire reform throughout the broader Middle East
and Central Asia.
The scope for free expression in Turkey, including on the Armenian
issue, has expanded significantly in recent years, but clearly there
is much more to be done. In May 2008, Turkey amended Article 301
of its Penal Code, under which individuals have been prosecuted
for "insulting Turkishness." While the Administration would have
preferred to have seen the repeal of Article 301, the amendments
reduce the maximum possible sentence from three to two years and,
most importantly, require the Minister of Justice to determine
whether to accept the case for prosecution. The Minister’s role
should help to reduce significantly the number of cases brought by
zealous prosecutors. The Administration has encouraged the Turkish
authorities to continue this progress and to end legal action against
citizens for expressing their views."
"We remain troubled by Ambassador Yovanovitch’s evasive answers,
her outright non-responses, and her refusal, in her replies to
Senator Obama and other Senators, to offer anything approaching
a reasonable or factually supportable explanation of the reasons
behind Administration’s misguided policy on the Armenian Genocide,"
said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.
"This being said, it appears as though Ambassador Yovanovitch and
her colleagues have learned from the disastrous Hoagland experience
and are coming to understand that the U.S. Senate will not accept –
and the Armenian American community will never allow – an Ambassador
to Armenia who denies the Armenian Genocide."