LATE PRESIDENT TURGUT OZAL WORKED TO SOLVE ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’ DISPUTE
Today’s Zaman
April 23 2012
Turkey
With 19 years having passed since the death of former President
Turgut Ozal, known for his reformist policies, which paved the way
for a more democratic and liberal Turkey, his close friends and
aides shed light on Ozal’s approach on the Armenian issue and said
the former president was ready to compromise with Armenians to solve
the decades-old issue before things got more complicated for Turkey
in international politics.
Ozal became prime minister in 1983 after a military regime handed
power over to civilians. He struggled hard to liberate Turkey in
terms of freedom of religion and freedom of expression and thought.
Moreover, he was warm and responsive to the demands of minorities,
Kurds and other groups to get more rights in a globalizing world.
Turkey made a transition to liberal economy during his term and
opened to world markets. His policies on the economy and his views
on minorities were known by the public. However, how he approached
the Armenian issue is little known by the public. His close friends
and advisors noted that if Ozal were alive today, the problem might
have already been solved.
Ozal first faced the alleged Armenian genocide when he was in the US
to study economics at Texas Tech University in the 1950s. He noticed
the existence of a nascent but gradually growing Armenian lobby whose
primary aim was to bring the issue of the alleged Armenian genocide
to the US political agenda. He seized the opportunity to speak with
several people from the Armenian diaspora in order to learn their
views and aims. From his talks with Armenians, Ozal concluded that
some of them were inclined to return to Turkey.
When he became prime minister in 1983, the Armenian issue was one
of the topics on his agenda. However, he faced tough challenges as
the terrorist Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia
(ASALA) intensified its brazen attacks on Turkish diplomats abroad
in the early 1980s. The ASALA factor made it very difficult to take
any bold steps in domestic politics with respect to bridging the gap
between Turks and Armenians.
Behind closed doors, Ozal defended the idea of holding negotiations
with Armenians to settle a dispute that has had great potential to
deal a serious blow to Turkish interests in international politics.
The close friends and aides of the former president spoke with Today’s
Zaman over the weekend about Ozal’s approach and proposal to solve
the decades-old Armenian issue.
Vehbi Dincerler, 71, a former education minister and a state minister
in Ozal’s Cabinet, said Ozal sought to learn what Armenians wanted
from Turkey through Americans. In 1984 he ordered his advisors to work
on possible scenarios about the economic and political price Turkey
would have to pay if Turkey compromises with the Armenian diaspora,
an early Turkish acceptance of the term “genocide.” Another scenario
was also prepared. This plan sought to gauge the political cost of
a Turkish acceptance of genocide within 20 to 30 years if Turkey is
forced to accept it one day. His aim was to solve the problem before
it got too late and through few concessions after reaching a deal
with the Armenians, Dincerler noted.
However, strong opposition from some politicians from his party and
from the military led to him delaying sharing the details of the plan
with the public, and he decided to wait for a more appropriate time.
During a visit to the US in 1991 Ozal unexpectedly said in a hotel
lobby in front of a group of diplomats and journalists after a
meeting with representatives of the Armenian lobby, “What happens if
we compromise with the Armenians and end this issue?”
The audience was shocked at that time, as was the Turkish public.
The idea of negotiations with the Armenian diaspora itself was
unacceptable and unthinkable in that period. When his statement was
publicized in Turkey, it sparked criticism and fury among the public.
Even deputies from the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN), which Ozal
established and led until he was elected president in 1989, reacted
harshly to Ozal.
However, Ozal was determined and pushed the limit to resolve the
Armenian issue to avoid facing harder challenges regarding the
possibility that the alleged Armenian genocide would be recognized
by state legislatures in the US.
Ozal tried to implement substantial projects, including the Van
Project. Suleyman Roman, who worked on several projects with Ozal
in the 1980s, said the former president had planned to return some
lands to Armenians in Van. He added that Ozal could not make concrete
progress in the project, facing strong opposition.
Ozal had the courage to confront the past. Dincerler noted that Ozal
had developed several projects but that none had borne any fruit
because of the mentality of state officials at the time.
“Ozal said: ‘Let’s take the initiative and find the truth. Let’s pay
the political and economic price, if necessary.’ However, the military
strongly opposed such an approach,” he added.
Hasan Celal Guzel, who served in Ozal’s government, said the military
establishment perceived Ozal’s moderate approach and policies on
the Armenian and Kurdish issues as concessions. After Ozal’s death,
his policies of compromising with the Armenians were abandoned.
“They [the military] saw Ozal as someone who makes too many
concessions. They stood against his policies. However, Ozal came up
with the idea that Turkey could reconcile and make peace with the
Armenians, who had earned the title ‘millet-i sadıka’ [loyal nation]
during the Ottoman era. He wanted to open the door for a return of
Armenians to Turkey. No one has made a move since. Had he not died,
he might have solved this issue,” Guzel told Today’s Zaman.
From: Baghdasarian
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-278371-late-president-turgut-ozal-worked-to-solve-armenian-genocide-dispute.html