YETVART DANZIKYAN

The transportation route between Turkey and Central Asia will operate uninterruptedly through Armenian territory. For now, Turkey has no objection to this. This could also be considered a positive development for Armenia. At the very least, they have temporarily thwarted a new attack by Azerbaijan under the pretext of the corridor. Given this development, we can expect Ankara to open the border. However, I believe Ankara will wait for the Armenia-Azerbaijan agreement to be signed first. Furthermore, it is clear that opening the border would boost the economies of both Turkey and Armenia.

Armenia is clearly only talking about not making this a priority in foreign policy. On the other hand, it should be noted that this stance has created a backlash in Armenia. Pashinyan is also being accused by opposition circles in his own country. When it comes to Turkey, this certainly comes as a relief for the government and those who maintain the 110-year-old official position. So, should "confrontation" efforts be shelved because of this situation? Certainly not. Let's repeat what we've always said. Hundreds of thousands of people in these lands were subjected to indescribable suffering under the pretext of war conditions. Armenians were uprooted from their countries where they had lived for thousands of years through mass killings and forced exile.

Ultimately, Pashinyan wants to advance the normalization process with Turkey and develop regional cooperation. So what position is Ankara taking here? Yes, it had initiated the "normalization" process, but despite the mutual decision to open borders at least to third-country citizens and diplomatic passport holders in the first phase, Turkey is not taking steps. Armenia, on the other hand, has renovated the crossing point and customs buildings on its side of the border, and even organized a visit to the border gate for the visiting journalists from Turkey. Turkey is in a waiting position on this issue. So what is Turkey waiting for?

The government, naturally, opposed Trump’s plan. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in his statement, said: “The issue of deportation is neither something the region nor we can accept. Even considering it is absurd. Even bringing it up for discussion is wrong.” Yes, even bringing it up for discussion is wrong. However, when I saw the term ‘deportation,’ it made me think. I went back 110 years. Is it possible not to remember 1915 when hearing these words?

Hrant ahparig (brother), as is my custom, I sat down at the keyboard to write this year’s letter.

This is a process that started with a five-program broadcast suspension and fine imposed by RTSC for some sentences used on the Açık Gazete program on April 24. Technically, the license was decertfied not because of this, but because –according to RTSC– the fine was not paid, but it is worth taking a closer look at the picture and remembering a precedent-setting decision of the Constitutional Court on this very issue.

It is really interesting that while Islamist, centre-leftist and Kurdish politicians condemn Israel for this operation that amounts to genocide, some nationalist accounts, even on social media, have a different tone when it comes to Azerbaijan. To be honest, i think pessimistically. Because there is hostility towards both Arabs and Armenians.

Paşinyan’s making this remarkable statement is not an unexpected circumstance. It is already stated that Azerbaijan is in a novel preparation period to assault for a while. We can also monitor this through Turkish press.

We talked to Assoc. Prof. Murat Sevinç, a faculty member of Ankara University School of Social Sciences, about the content of the proposed constitutional amendments and their outcomes.

“The Social, Cultural and Economic History of Van and the Region” conference organized by Hrant Dink Foundation was held in Anarad Hığutyun building on November 11 and 12. We talked to Dr. Yektan Türkyılmaz, who was the keynote speaker of the conference, about Van's importance in Armenian and Ottoman history.