WikiLeaks Reveals Turkey’s Efforts to Derail Genocide Affirmation, Force Pro-Azerbaijan Settlement

WASHINGTON—The public disclosure today by WikiLeaks of tens of thousands of U.S. diplomatic cables included many of special interest to Armenian Americans, most notably a “smoking gun” revelation that Turkey has aggressively used the Turkey-Armenia protocols, particularly the prospect of its ratification, to pressure American leaders against U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide and in favor of a pro-Azerbaijani settlement of the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“These files are a smoking-gun,” explained ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “They reveal the remarkable candor with which Ankara has, from day one, sought to pressure the United States to enforce it preconditions for the Turkey-Armenia protocols. It’s painfully clear from the words of Turkey’s own leaders that, rather than seeking peace, they instead sought to use the prospect of the ratification of these accords to block the Armenian Genocide recognition and to force a pro-Azerbaijani resolution of Nagorno-Karabagh.”

In a Feb. 25, 2010 confidential cable from the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffery noted that Turkey had made it clear that its ratification of the Turkey-Armenia protocols was predicated on Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s approval.  Specifically, in describing a Feb. 18, 2010 meeting between U.S. Under Secretary of State William Burns and Turkish Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Sinirlioglu, Jeffery writes: “Sinirlioglu appealed for ‘simultaneity’ between Armenian Protocols ratification and the Minsk Process. He emphasized ‘a strong reaction’ against the protocols among ruling party MPs had to be overcome before the government would hazard a ratification effort. He warned Congressional passage of an Armenian genocide resolution would ‘complicate’ his government’s domestic political calculations regarding ratification. He said if something acceptable to Azerbaijani President Aliyev can found, then ‘we can move’ the protocols forward.”

Read the complete cable at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2010/02/10ANKARA302.html.

In a Jan. 20, 2010 confidential cable, Jeffery provided his analysis of Turkey’s foreign policy, citing concerns about Turkey’s “inability to bring to conclusion foreign policy initiatives,” specifically noting the Turkey-Armenia protocols and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s “tendency to substitute rhetoric for long term investment of diplomatic, military, and assistance capital.”  Jeffery went on to note that “Turkey will have to stand and be counted on Iran, in the Security Council, with MD, and in implementation of UN or US sanctions.  This will have a profound effect on relations second only to the fate of the Armenian protocols over the next year.”

Read the complete cable at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2010/01/10ANKARA87.html.

Aliyev: April 24 a ‘Sword of Damocles’ over Turkey-Azerbaijan-Armenia relations

In a confidential cable from the U.S. Embassy in Baku, senior diplomat Donald Lu reported on a meeting between U.S. Under Secretary of State Burns and President Aliyev, in which the Azerbaijani leader advocated the combining of the Turkey-Armenia protocols discussion and the Karabagh peace negotiations. He also urged the postponement of any protocols ratification until after April 24th, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, describing this date as a “Sword of Damocles” hanging over political initiatives in the region.  Lu wrote: “U/S Burns stressed that the U.S. believes that progress on the Turkey-Armenia protocols could create political space for Sargsian to be more flexible on NK. He continued that the reverse was also true, that a failure of the Turkey-Armenia process would almost certainly result in serious negative consequences for the NK process. Aliyev said that NK progress would require a minimum of five or six months. He suggested that the entire Turkey-Armenia protocol ratification process be delayed until after April 24. He said that the ‘Sword of Damocles’ of Armenian Remembrance Day is hanging unhelpfully not only over the Turkey-Armenia process, but also now the NK progress. ‘If there were no deadline, maybe we could see how to combine our efforts (to resolve NK).’”

According to the cable, Aliyev urged Burns to pressure Armenia to accept the most recently proposed OSCE Minsk group settlement regarding Karabagh, calling on the three co-chair countries to “send a strong message that the independence of NK is not under review,” and urging “consequences in terms of international isolation” if Armenia does not accept the measures.

Read the complete cable at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2010/02/10BAKU134.html.

Concerns over Armenia-Iran relations

A cable citing the text of a letter from U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte to the Armenian government expressed concern about the reported sale of weapons to Iran, stating, “Notwithstanding the close relationship between our countries, neither the Administration nor the U.S. Congress can overlook this case.”  The letter went on to note that there would be consideration “whether there is a basis for the imposition of U.S. sanctions.”

“What this cable, and all that has transpired since it was written in 2008, shows is that the U.S. government, having reviewed all the relevant facts, concluded that Yerevan did not merit sanctions—on assistance, on exports, or, for that matter, in any other area,” commented Hamparian.

Read the complete cable at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2008/12/08STATE134490.html.

Additional resources

A complete list of WikiLeaks cables related to Armenia, released to date, can be viewed at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/tag/AM_0.html.

A complete list of WikiLeaks cables relating to Turkey, released to date, can be viewed at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/tag/TU_0.html.

A complete list of WikiLeaks cables related to Azerbaijan, released to date, can be viewed at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/tag/AJ_0.html.

15 Comments

  1. Once again, this proves that our Govt. is being blackmailed by a so called (dependable) ally. I am glad that the protocol fiasco is over now.We  hope and urge our leaders in the US  government wake up and be a true moral and ethical leaders.
    Do the RIGHT thing recognize the ARMENIAN GENOCIDE,ratify/ pass the Genocide bill in congress.

  2. DOES ALIEV ever ASK TURKEY WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO RETURN OCCUPIED ARMENIAN LAND, SUCH AS MT. ARARAT, VAN, ETC…. i really wonder what his opinion is about that..

  3. Greg, if you want true moral and ethical leaders, you should first recognize your massive genocide of Native Americans. Your history is full of forced removal and assimilation, slavery, racism, illegal invasions of other countries. We don’t even take serious your “ethical lessons”. I would listen an Armenian but not an American.

  4. Hye, WOW…
    and let the chips/truths fall out… GREAT!  Enough of the subterfuges and certainly misinformation, misdirections and more from the so-called ‘powers’… enough!!
    All Genocides should be addressed as Genocide – not negated by ANY perpetrator,  
    as a turkey whose inhumanity to humans continues – ongoing/unending –  continues to ‘elimate peoples’ – for a turkey – as though a turkey is due and owing any and all lands it shall deem it needs – when a turkey chooses! Why?
    A turkey, who escapes  justice before all the civilized world for all the Genocides since the 19th, 20th and now, 21st centuries  – ongoing/unending.  Too, the cycle of Genocides shall be ended – when a turkey and such others as think as a turkey are punished for their crimes against ALL humanity!
    Manooshag
     

  5. Turkey likes to have more “Turkic criminal tribes” as an ally in order to fight and cover up “Armenian Genocide” on the world stage, and change Genocide into “events” for the right of Pan-Turkism!!

  6. Dear  Mert, my comments were regarding the current events.I strongly agree w/ you regarding the Native Americans.I am an American by choice,and yes ethnically i am Armenian also.I have listened to my late grandma Maryam about the atrocities during the Genocide.
    My views are that are that ANY genocide is unacceptable,and that if one goes unpunished or rectified ; it is doomed to be repeated over and over again.Uganda and Darfur  are most recent ones that come to my mind.

  7. Umm… I’m pretty sure The US acknowledge these acts. Not one of the things you mention above have been omitted from US History book. Unlike Turkey, The US does acknowledge its past!

  8. Wowh, these are fascinating cables! Thank you very much for the links provided!!!!
    http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2005/06/05ANKARA3199.html
    So, Trabzonspor is not only supported by the far-right nationalists but also by islamist Erdogan.
    Turks remain always Turks whether infidel-killing right-wing nationalists within the Ergenekon organization or simple islamists. Sorry, but are there other Turks? – Nope. Exactly how the same as Vardan Petrosyan sees them in his
    Հայերն ու հավերը. Sorry, but I HAVE to post his link again. Turks are Turks and hopefully Armenians will learn by time.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K59lbuV89s

  9. if these things are Top Secret then they are in trouble, because Armenian people already knew and were suspicious of all parties, so no surprises here…

  10. Perhaps the Turkish peopls will take decisive action when they learn, finally, that their government has been lying to them for these many years about their historic past.

  11. The Diaspora Armenians already knew that the so called protocols were pushed and forwarded by Turkey and fully backed up by the U.S.  Why do you think the Diaspora stood up and revolted vehemently against the ratification of the protocols; because it looked fishy, it smelled fishy and it was plain fishy and this coming from Turkey and the U.S.  It was underhanded and it was despecable of the above parties involved.  Shame on the U.S. who partake in this, aligning themselves with the belligerent denyalist Turkey.  We the Diasporans are not surprised by these news and it is sheer shameful of the U.S. who sided with Turkey on this, instead of working against them, they pushed Armenia’s president Sarkisian to approve it.  Thank God that Armenia’s constitution specified very clearly that the Western Armenian lands are known as such and Armenia must see to it that justice prevails and the Armenian Genocide is accepted by world powers and the world at large.

  12. At last the truth is coming out on WikiLeaks revealing Turkeys efforts to derail the Armenian Genocide and to force Artsakh to return Armenia’s historical lands back to the Azeri’s. This should be a wakeup call to all Armenian’s to send the WikiLeaks to every Senator, every Congressman, here in the U.S. to recognize passage of this long delayed Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.  The Turkish Government also has been using five Jewish Organizations here in the States to make sure non-passage of the our Armenian Genocide. Shame on those Jewish Organizations after them also going thru a Genocide.  Wake up Armenians before it is too late.

  13.     For Armenians, there is no real news here. Just reading it, though, always elevates our emotions. Perhaps the embarassment, defensiveness and visibility this causes to the Turks will help to convince others to embrace the truth.

  14. Especially after this news, Sarkisian must stand strong and gutsy against Azerbaijan and the world powers, and he must not give back any of Artsakh’s surrounding territories to the Azeris.  Thus, if the enemy comes in between Stepanakert and Armenia, Armenia will lose.  Eventually another war will have to start between Azerbaijan and Armenia/Artsakh as the Azeris will never leave Armenians alone.  They will eventually demand to have control of our Syunik, the southern part of Armenia that touches Iran and we will lose both Armenia and Artsakh.  Sarkisian must stand strong and tall against Azerbaijan and the U.S. and not accept to give away any of the surrounding Lachin lands.  Artsakh must be recognised by Armenia right away and Yerevan should not let any Artsakhtsis to migrate to Yerevan.  Artsakhtsis must stay in Stepanakert, Shushi and the surroundings to flourish their own lands.

  15. wikileaks excerpt about Armenian genocide; US position
    09ANKARA1472     created 2009-10-13 08:08     released by wikileaks 2010-11-28 18:06     SECRET//NOFORN

    Nevertheless, future relations will still be heavily linked to the 1915 “genocide” issue and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.  Turkey consistently warns that any U.S. determination of the events of 1915 as “genocide” would set off a political firestorm in Turkey, and the devastating effect on our bilateral relationship — including political, military, and commercial aspects would be unavoidable.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*