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SECTION 907 AND ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BARGAINED BETWEEN TURKEY AND USA
AZG Armenian Daily #203
11/07/2001
The Armenian and Diasporan press frequently referred to the issues of reviewing Section 907 and considering Armenian genocide demand a precondition for Turkey's progress towards European Union (EU) accession.
October 24 US Senate voted for waiving the Section 907 on limiting the aid of US government rendered to Azerbaijan. Although the section wasn't fully abolished, it lost its power. And on October 25 the European Parliament (EP) dropped out the Armenian genocide demand as a precondition for Turkey's progress towards European Union (EU) accession. Thus Turkey got rid of this problem.
It seemed like after these two issues were 'solved' the atmosphere would get less tense, and the issues will not be discussed with that swing among Armenians and Diaspora. But it turns out that the problem is not only about Armenians and Diaspora, but about Azeri bellicose announcements, their claims blaming Armenians in terrorism, about idea of implementing anti-terrorist action in Karabagh and the interests of Turkey and USA in this respect.
Azg daily responded to Azerbaijan's accusations on Armenia being a terrorism supporting country (meaning support to Karabagh), described its claims as insinuations, and showed the inefficiency of conducting a policy with insinuations. Concerning Section 907 it was noted that it has always been bypassed, owing to which Armenia was receiving less and less aid from USA andAzerbaijan was receiving more and more. Shortly speaking this Section 907 had only a formal character and showed USA's 'pro-Armenian' policy. Concerning the genocide precondition for Turkey's accession into EU, it was dropped out because of pressure US implemented on Europe- in the basis of which lay USA's interest in involving Turkey in the anti-terrorist actsagainst Afghanistan.
Of course the calculations of US were not groundless. That's why on November 1 after the National Security Council session held in Ankara a special session of Turkish military chiefs of staff was held. Then prime minister Bulent Ecevit met with Turkish president Ahmed Sezer, after which the former announced about their decision to send a special military unit comprised of 90 people to Afghanistan. Of course Sezer supported this initiative, and most probably this military unit comprised of professional officers will leave for Afghanistan November 9.
Turkish newspapers immediately responded to the decision the next day. Some of them wrote that the Turkish unit has a very important task, and the others shouted about Turkey's direct involvement in the military action- thus becoming the most faithful ally of USA. Gozcu daily published an article entitled 'Soldiers go, dollars come' saying that US wrote off Turkey's 7 billion USD mobilization debt and the IMF freezes a part of Turkey's foreign debt and even allots an extra credit worth 6 billion USD.
On the same day retired general Suat Ilhan commented on the decision of sending a Turkish military unit to Afghanistan, on forgiving the foreign debt and on allotting a new loan to Turkey. He particularly said that the publications about the financial crisis in Turkey, the banning of anti-Turkish actions, reviewing of section 907, dropping out the genocide demand, etc. are not mere coincidences.
Thus the retired general not only confirmed what Gozcu newspaper wrote but also grounded the facts. The only difference between his comments and Azg daily's
explanations was that Azg said that concerning the genocide precondition of Turkey's EU accession US implemented pressure on Europe, whereas the Turkish general said that it was conditioned by bargains between USA and Turkey. We also gathered form his words that Section 907 was also
bargained between the two countries. What goal pursues the elimination of the latter is anther issue, so it will be talked over separately.
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