ARMENIA REFUSES TO SEND "GENOCIDE" BACK TO THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000439

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AM TU
SUBJECT: ARMENIA REFUSES TO SEND "GENOCIDE" BACK TO THE
HISTORIANS


Classified By: DCM A.F.Godfrey for reasons 1.4 (b, d)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) In a March 10 interview, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian
said that the question of the 1915 "genocide" is no longer an
issue for historians and now must be decided in the political
sphere. This statement was in response to Turkish PM
Erdogan's proposal for a new joint historical study of the
events of 1915. Armenian MFA officials told us that they
believe PM Erdogan's proposal was simply "an attempt to avert
discussion" and was intended to take the issue of "genocide"
off of the political agenda as Armenia prepares to
commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1915 events. Senior
MFA officials told us they recognize the FM's comments may be
perceived as too sharp and they plan to issue a statement
qualifying FM Oskanian's comments. End Summary.


2. (C) PM Erdogan's public comments on March 9 were widely
covered by the Armenian press. According to reports, he
called for "an unbiased study by historians of claims that
millions of Armenians were the victims of genocide under
Ottoman rule during World War I," and suggested, "(Turkey
has) already opened our archives to those who claim there was
genocide. If (the Armenians) are sincere, they should also
open their archives." Responding to those public comments,
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told the press on
March 10 that "it is not a question for historians. They have
already done their work ... but since Turkey denies this,
this has become a political issue and so needs a political
solution."


3. (C) On March 11, Salpi Ghazarian, Special Adviser to FM
Oskanian told us that the GOAM was aware that the FM's
comments were being taken as a flat rejection of PM Erdogan's
proposal, an outcome the GOAM did not intend. Ghazarian said
that it was Turkey which put the "genocide" issue into the
political arena when it linked political interpretation of
historical events to resolution of political issues such as
the border and the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. She said
that the MFA would issue a statement qualifying FM Oskanian's
comments, and while Armenia's archives are open to all, for
the GOAM, the historical debate is closed and the "genocide
is a historical fact." Armenia would not agree to removing
the issue from the political sphere for the duration of yet
another historical study.


4. (C) We contacted the Director of Armenia's National
Archives and asked specifically whether or not a Turkish
historian would be allowed access to Genocide documents. The
Director adamantly stated that the Archives are open to any
individual who seeks access to any of its holdings,
regardless of citizenship or scholarly purpose.

Comment
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5. (C) By flatly rejecting PM Erdogan's call for a new
study, the GOAM knows it could be losing any claim it
believes it has to the moral high ground. Ghazarian will try
to spin the FM's comments, but is frustrated by what she
called an annual attempt by the GOT to take the sting out of
the commemoration of events of 1915.
EVANS