US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN439

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 
------- 
 
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