Sooner or later Turkey will have to do what she has avoided for about 100 years.

PanARMENIAN.Net - But if we look at all this from another perspective, it turns out that Erdogan was driven into a corner, or rather, he drove himself into there, and is now uncertain about how to get out. The statements that came from Ankara on different levels last week, indicate that Turkey is really at a loss, and it’s not only about the adopted resolutions on the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the entire political elite realize that to stop the process is a vain effort now. Little time is left till April 24, and nothing effective can be undertaken but withdrawal of ambassadors or blackmail. Another possible step Ankara can take is to accept the inevitable and sign the Zurich Protocols; otherwise she will once again show the world that Turkey and the Ottoman Empire have much in common, no matter how hard the current and former leaders try to disown it. The Jewish lobby can’t help, either. It is now engaged in re-establishment of US-Jewish relations and has neither time nor mood to deal with Turkish problems. Ankara may get a little support from NATO for the air base “Incirlik”, but all these steps of Turkey are temporary delays and sooner or later Turkey will have to do what she has avoided for about 100 years.

By the way, most apparently Erdogan could not expect such an outcry on the part of his own people and had to apologize, though in a “Turkish way”. Erdogan declared his remarks about the possible deportation of 100 thousand illegal immigrants from Armenia were distorted by foreign media. The Turkish Prime Minister said he was not going to apologize for his words that were misinterpreted. A method tested and sometimes working. It has already become a tradition for Ankara to shift her guilt on others. “I address those who want to distort my words and demand apologies. We know very well who we should make an apology to,” stressed the head of the Turkish government. We wonder who, after all, Turkey will make apologies to: the descendants of one and a half million killed Armenians, the Diaspora that appeared as a result of the massacre, the Government of the Republic of Armenia, or, perhaps, all the Armenians in the world? It is unlikely that any leader of Turkey, no matter to which party he belongs, apologize to the Armenians, and therefore Erdogan’s words are nothing but an attempt to save face. “I did not mean our citizens of Armenian descent,” the Turkish Prime Minister explained, adding that in the interview to the BBC, which evoked diverse responses in Turkey, he was talking of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia who illegally live in Turkey.

“Unlike the local media, foreign press avoided the phrase ‘illegally residing’. We have no problems with our citizens of Armenian descent. Moreover, during our rule, we have established excellent relations with them,” Erdogan lamented. But the Prime Minister is being insincere here; all the world press used the phrase “illegal immigrants”. Well, let us leave it on the conscience of Mr. Erdogan, who also called for avoiding any action that might complicate the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. “Not we but those who complicate the process will pay the price for it,” warned the Turkish Prime Minister. And again threats, blackmail and hope that the world will “come to its senses” and will not hinder Turkey to build a “democratic society”. Turkey, a country with a “bright and unblemished history”.

It is worth noting that, as stated above, till April 24 all actions of Erdogan will be directed to his attempts to get out of the corner and strike back. Apparently, Turkey has not been very successful in that yet. But she may, if the world community and Armenians in particular content themselves with an “apology”... Let us hope that this time Turkey will not be able to get her own way, though history teaches that this is what happens in the end, alas.