Toronto, Canada - “Turkey’s Entry into the European Union and its Relations with Armenia in light of the Rejection of the EU Constitution” was the subject of a speech given by Dr. Stephan Astourian, a member of the Zoryan Institute’s Academic Board, on June 10, 2005 in Toronto.

According to the Turkish Press, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul rejected any link between his country’s bid to join the European Union and the French "no" in a referendum on the EU constitution. Gul acknowledged that the French "no" could trigger a debate in Europe on Turkey’s EU bid, but argued that an EU decision in October 2004 to start membership accession talks with Ankara could not be altered due to political or legal changes in an EU-member country.

Opinions in Europe and among Armenians are heated and sharply divided on this issue. Some feel that Turkey’s questionable human rights record and tolerance toward ethno-religious diversity, its treatment of the Kurdish minority, corruption, the northern Cyprus question, and the continued denial of the Armenian Genocide are clear indicators of its inability to be a fully democratic country at this time, and therefore that Turkey should be barred from the EU. Others, among them Armenians both in the Diaspora and the homeland, feel that it is in Armenia’s best interest to have Turkey as an EU member on its border that has adopted and implemented EU standards regarding open borders, democracy, including complete freedom of speech and assembly, and acceptance of the darker chapters of its history.

Dr. Astourian considered the impact on the issues of the recent rejection of the EU constitution by France and the Netherlands. He explained that the EU has not included recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a precondition for Turkish membership in Europe. “However, the issue of recognition of that genocide has now become quite central in European and Turkish public debates,” he said. “We must be aware that the issue of the Armenian Genocide can and will be used for other purposes by people for whom it is not a fundamental issue. It is up to concerned Armenians,” he added, “to think realistically about such manipulation of the issue of the Armenian Genocide by various lobbying and political groups and to ask whether it is useful or detrimental to Armenia and Genocide recognition.”

In Dr. Astourian’s view, it may be reasonably inferred that some of the reforms required of Turkey to join the EU, e.g., freedom of speech and assembly, a decent human rights record, a significantly smaller role of the military in political life, etc., will facilitate debate about the Armenian Genocide in that country. Although such debate does not imply necessarily that the Armenian Genocide will be recognized as a “genocide,” it will undermine the orthodox, state-sponsored version of Turkish history in the medium term.

Dr. Astourian noted that the prospect of Turkey’s entry into the EU does raise a number of crucial issues. In particular, he challenged the audience to consider what course of action Armenians should take if Turkey were to rescind its official state version of history and recognize the Armenian Genocide. Dr. Astourian stressed that addressing rationally complex issues, such as the potential consequences of Turkey’s entry into the EU or an evaluation of the position to be adopted in case Turkey should recognize the Armenian Genocide as such, or as a “crime against humanity” or some such other terms, requires knowledge and dispassionate expertise. After summing the latest academic developments concerning the Turkish-Armenian dialogue and research into the Armenian Genocide, Dr. Astourian pointed to the extreme scarcity of scholars dealing with social scientific fields that usually inform policy and decision makers. The speaker also indicated that the very few major academics in Armenian-related fields are now close to the end of their careers. Dr. Astourian emphasized, therefore, the need for the Armenian Diaspora to invest in a new generation of social science scholars who can effectively address complex issues over the next twenty to thirty years and contribute to detached analysis regarding Armenian affairs. Dr. Astourian pointed to the Zoryan Institute as the leading organization in this regard, responsible for proactively trying to address the critical issue of expanding a cohesive intellectual base for the Armenian Diaspora through dispassionate education and research that conforms to the highest standards of scholarship.

The event was part of an ongoing series of public lectures organized by the Zoryan Institute on issues relating to Armenia, the Diaspora and genocide. This lecture was made possible by with the participation of the following organizations: Armenian Evangelical Church of Toronto, Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Gregory’s Armenian Catholic Church, St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Association of Toronto, Armenian General Benevolent Union of Toronto, Armenian National Committee, Canadian Armenian Business Council, Ryerson University Armenian Student Association, and the University of Toronto Armenian Student Association; and with the support of the following sponsors: Arax Jewelers, Robert P. Adourian Barristers & Solicitors, and Indo-Iranian Rugs.

Prof. Astourian is Executive Director of the Armenian Studies Program, Adjunct Assistant Professor of History at the University of California-Berkeley, and a member of the Zoryan Institute’s Academic Board.

The Zoryan Institute is the first non-profit, international center devoted to the research and documentation of contemporary issues related to Armenian social, political and cultural life. To this end, the Institute conducts multidisciplinary research, publication, and educational programs dealing with Armenia, the Armenian Genocide, and Diaspora, within a universal context.