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Source: Asbarez Armenian News
Historians in the News
6-23-14

Berkley Professor Discusses Upcoming Genocide Centennial of the Massacre of Armenians

Panorama.am interviewed Dr. Stephan Astourian, professor of history and director of the Armenian studies program at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Astourian commented on a number of issues related to the Armenian Genocide centennial in 2015.

NVARD CHALIKIAN: Dr. Astourian, how do you assess the current policy of Armenian leaders towards Turkey as well as the overall program for the Genocide centennial in 2015?

DR. STEPHAN ASTOURIAN: Armenia’s current policy toward Turkey fits with, and prolongs, the Armenian-Turkish Protocols signed in Zurich in October 2009. These protocols, which encompassed massive concessions on the part of Armenia in exchange for the tentative opening of the border by Turkey, were “dead on arrival.” They remain so until now.

It is difficult to answer your question about the “overall program of the Genocide Centennial” because I am unaware of any such program, assuming it exists. Even though the State Committee dealing with this matter has met three times, it has not made public any program. All that we have at this point is a logo and a somewhat vague motto. Being well aware of the activities of the San Francisco-Bay Area Armenian Centennial Organizing Committee, I can state that nothing could be organized on time for the Centennial in our region if our community leaders had not started planning for it as early as the end of 2013.

N.C.: What is your view regarding the fact that the President of Armenia has invited the President of Turkey to Armenia to commemorate the Genocide centennial? What do you think will be the result of this?

S.A.: Inviting Turkey’s President in April 2015 is at best a minor tactical move which serves public relations goals. Turkish policy is coherent and it will not be altered because of this invitation. Turkey is not going to undermine its very strong strategic ties with Azerbaijan in order to recognize the Armenian Genocide. In addition, it is unlikely that the latest aggression on Nakhichevan’s border, which caused Armenian casualties, could have taken place without prior Turkish knowledge of, or assent to, it. In this context and in the best scenario, Turkey might make at best some ambiguous, vague gesture or declaration in 2015...


Read entire article at Asbarez Armenian News