Opinion: Armenians need unity on Turkey policy

by John Evans

Published: Thursday February 04, 2010

Ambassador John Evans asks Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch about Armenia-Turkey talks, Washington, June 30, 2009. Armenian Reporter

Washington - As you know, I am no denier of the Armenian Genocide and I wish all Armenians, wherever they are, the best.
 
I continue to believe that Yerevan's intentions in negotiating the Protocols were reasonable, even if the effort was flawed in the execution.  There should be diplomatic relations between Ankara and Yerevan, the border should be opened, and other issues should be discussed.  

Even the (understandably) controversial historical commission can be made productive if it is properly handled.  

As Assistant Secretary of State Phil Gordon and others have recently emphasized, there should be no preconditions attached to these basic elements. On this important point, of course, Ankara's policy has been extremely unhelpful.
 
Since the appearance of the Protocols at the end of August, Armenians of various political persuasions have engaged in altogether too much -- and too mean-spirited -- criticism of each other, with occasional lunges at the Minsk Group mediators, Turkey, Azerbaijan and indeed others, like the Swiss.  

The results could hardly be worse; the divisions could hardly be more damaging, in particular, the tensions that have arisen between Armenia and her Disapora.  
 
It now looks likely that none of the goals sought by Yerevan will be realized, that the specter of renewed conflict will continue to haunt the Caucasus, and that the Armenian economy will continue to be hobbled by a combination of recession, isolation and inadequate investment.  

This is good for no one, especially for Armenia.
 
I cautiously submit that it is high time, against all apparent odds, for Armenians to agree among themselves what it is that they really -- not ideally -- want, make a reasonable deal with Turkey, and concentrate on helping the Republic of Armenia survive and prosper.  

The simple formula that could serve as a starting point might be to set aside, at least for now, the territorial and sovereignty issues with Turkey (but not Azerbaijan), along with calls for punitive Versailles-style reparations (but not private or class-action suits).  

Whatever the legal merits of the Wilson Award attached to the Treaty of Sevres, these ambitious claims defy common sense and threaten the more modest, but still vital, goals of Genocide recognition and the survival of the first truly viable Armenian state in centuries, however flawed.
 
The 100th anniversary of the Genocide is only five years off.  What a great shame it will be if we reach 2015 in a state of affairs resembling that which obtains today. 

John Evans was U.S. Ambassador to Armenia between 2004 and 2006.