Abstract
A Suggestion for Turkish Foreign Policy towards Genocide Allegations
The so-called genocide is one of the primary problems of Turkey in the sphere of foreign policy. In the academic studies regarding the subject, opinions known are generally repeated. The media brings it on its agenda only on April 24 of each year. Turkey’s state discourse does not step out of certain patterns.
External actors have determinant roles in the creation of Armenian problem and, in relation to this, the so-called genocide problem as well as its continuity up to the present day. The historical perspective will not be included in this study but the positions taken by the external actors will be reflected in order to be able to comprehend the problem its causes.
Today the problem has been influential on the determination of Turkey’s relations with its neighbor Armenia and played the major role in the failure of the protocol signed between the two countries on October 10, 2009 so as to establish relations.
The so-called genocide has led to domestic political developments and been a means to receive votes in the elections overseas for many years. The candidates under the influence of Armenian lobbies promised to recognize the genocide if they were elected in the presidential elections, which adversely affected the bilateral relations. When the presidents did not take the step to recognize the so-called genocide in line with the state’s official foreign policy after the elections, it did not mean that the problem came to an end; on the contrary the so-called genocide continued to be recognized in other countries. A recent example of this is Switzerland, which recognized it in December 2010.
Turkey has not been able to formulate a productive policy towards the solution of the problem, which led to the result that the number of the countries recognizing the allegations increased. Harsh discourses expressed towards these countries further contributed to the deterioration of bilateral relations.
A suggestion has been offered for the solution of the problem in this study. The suggestion has three dimensions. The carrying of state policy from rhetoric to constitutional line underlies this. The purpose of the suggestion is to contribute to the shift of Turkey to an “active / determinative” position and creation of a macro solution for the problem.<
Keywords
Genocide allegation, Turkey, US, Armenia, Solution offer
