The think tank's report on Turkey's current situation and future challenges was penned by retired Ambassador Ilter Turkmen, a former foreign minister, with contributions by BILGESAM Chairman Atilla Sandikli, former Supreme Court of Appeals President Sami Selcuk and retired Ambassador Ozdem Sanberk. The report underlined that Turkey urgently needed to reform its judicial system to eliminate its current flaws, to take sound steps on the path toward full membership in the European Union, to adopt a new civilian constitution to replace the current one, which was prepared under military rule, and to provide its citizens with broader rights.
BILGESAM said Turkey is in a deadlock over the issue of the Armenian claims of genocide, with Armenians insistent on their claims that the 1915 killings of Anatolian Armenians by Ottoman Turks constituted genocide.
"The parliaments of 17 countries have recognized Armenian genocide resolutions. US President Barack Obama referred to the killings of Armenians as genocide during the 2008 election campaign and promised the Armenian lobby that he would recognize their claims. ... As it is not possible for Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide claims, the best thing that can be done at the moment is to create an environment in which the problem can be pushed to the back burner over time," read the report.
The report also stressed that President Abdullah Gul's visit to Yerevan last year contributed a great deal to the improvement of ties between Turkey and Armenia. Gul visited Yerevan in September of last year to watch the World Cup qualifying match between the national teams of the two countries, which observers have said was a turning point for the settlement of longstanding disputes between the two neighbors.
Today's Zaman
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