!áH€ ce="Verdana" size�ÿ­ MY ARMENIAN FRIEND CALLED DAVIDï"Is it ok if I introduce an Armenian friend of mine called David?” muttered a Spanish colleague almost inaudibly during a networking event in Beijing on a beautiful April evening in 2007.ïved his response with a single nod of my head as I suddenly started wondering how I could be inapproachable in a room filled with over 100 professionals, most of whom I knew personally.

  Watching closely the body language involved in the conversation, it was nothing but disappointing to reach the conclusion that neither the Spaniard nor David were completely confident that David could approach me without the thought of rejection. The events that took place in the turmoil of the World War I in Anatolia were having an impact on a conversation that was being held in the capital of China almost 90 years later.

  On the way back to my apartment in the Chaoyang district, I was still thinking about the awkward situation and trying to analyze whether my values garnered from my Western education helped differentiate my ideas from my compatriots back home who were educated at local universities and exposed to the same domestic media mediums throughout their lives. Was I more receptive and open to different points of view and discussions? 

  Today, the border between Turkey and Armenia is closed. Armenians have their own political agenda that includes the Turkish government accepting the events of 1915 as “genocide,” apologizing for what happened and paying reparations.

  The Turkish government does not deny that massacres that affected both sides of the conflict took place but rather deny that there was any intent to destroy a group or a nation, which is a pre-requisite for an incident to be labeled as “genocide” instead of a “massacre.” The term “genocide,” due to its nature, requires central planning and machinery to execute the plan. Current attempts at a resolution between the two countries are at a dead end.

  Many world politicians today are using this incident as an ethnic tool to score political points and win cheap votes in their jurisdictions. These political partnerships mostly take place in locations like California or France, where large numbers of Armenian voters are permanent residents. These politicians entice Armenian and Turkish voters into supporting their parties while, in a sense, stripping these people of their right to freely choose who they believe can better serve those jurisdictions.

  The Turkish Republic gets embroiled in diplomatic disputes with different governments of the world every time they officially take steps to acknowledge the 1915 events as “genocide.”

  The give-and take game of international politics results in a future commitment or repercussions for the Turkish government every time it manages to save the day by being able to stop a government from doing so. And this is a game that is being replayed every few years with each country's government.

 

Difficulties for expat Turks

  Current conditions also make life very difficult for expatriate Turks who reside in various countries. Denial of the Armenian genocide can get you prosecuted in France or Switzerland for breaching anti-racism laws. Meanwhile in Turkey, under the penal code article 301, you can get prosecuted for using the word “genocide” to describe the events of 1915. Being open to discussion is not welcome in either of these countries.

  The majority of Turks feel that there is more to this dark period in our history than just a simple answer of whether it was genocide or not. While Armenia, in credit to its politically active Diaspora, has made clear where it stands, Turkey has long complained about not being heard or that the events are misunderstood.

  Denial without presenting further evidence and prohibiting open debates looks only like acceptance on an international level. However, Western counterparts do not make it possible to hold open debates by passing legislations that make it a criminal offense to hold opposite views.

  Reiterating uncompromising arguments and remaining adamant by both sides have yet to bear any fruits in reaching a resolution. Both Turkey and Armenia, for the benefit of both nations, must stop their nationalist ideologies from getting in the way of resolving past misdeeds. The only hope for reconciliation at this point is for both countries to initiate a new era of increased communication and take steps toward recreating bilateral ties. 

  Today, David is one of my closest friends in China. We not only share a common background but can also freely discuss politics, history and business with a similar point of view. Building the foundations of strong economic and political relations will prepare both nations for a better understanding of each other and create common ground to express their point of view.

  We wish to see the Turkish government, the Armenian government and the Armenian Diaspora take positive steps on the path of bringing the two nations closer. Only after that, can they utilize their political influence to develop the region into a gateway between Asia and Europe without being voting tools for world politicians.

  * Hakan Özcan, has a B.S. Degree in Management and Political Science from Bryant University in Rhode Island. He is presently an associate consultant at Creativity, Innovation & Design Labs in Beijing, China. He can be contacted at hknozcan@gmail.com