TURKISH, US SCHOLARS DISCUSS TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONSHIP

Turkish and US scholars discussed relations between Turkey and Armenia at a conference titled "Turkish-Armenian Question:

What to do now?" held in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday and organized by the Raindrop Foundation, a nonprofit group founded by Turkish students in Houston for cultural and educational purposes.

Participants mentioned the importance of coexistence and said, "It is time to speak instead of sowing seeds of hatred and to start a new era in history." Turkish and US historians emphasized that the tension that has existed between the two societies since 1914 can be settled with discussion.

The conference started with an opening address by İstanbul's Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II, who said, "The nations can live together in peace, but everyone should treat each other as he is without making a distinction of language, religion and race."

Hüseyin Demirci from Erciyes University said Armenian-Turkish relations can be improved by efforts based on dialogue. Stating that in visits he paid to Yerevan and other Armenian cities he saw that relations between the two peoples are still at the highest level, Demirci said the diaspora and politically based actions damage relationships. "It is time we repaired the cracks with constructive efforts as much as we can," he urged.

Dr. Gregg Webb from Baylor University congratulated the Raindrop Foundation, which organized the conference, and said he hoped the organization would pave the way for further friendships. Quoting Benjamin Franklin, "All I want is to make the enemy in front of me into a friend of mine,"

Turkish scholar Dr. Naci Bostancı said: "We wish Armenian views were also expressed here. What we want is to come together on broader platforms. Dialogue does not mean people fix their ideas and speak accordingly. Dialogue does not mean making speeches based on written texts. On the contrary, it is a journey among words where the speech has a wide frame." Journalist Ali Bayramoğlu also stressed the importance of the Armenians and Turks' coming face-to-face and discussing their problems, noting, "We all should learn to face each other."

Dr. Michael Fontenont of Southern University at Baton Rouge said, "Handling the Armenian issue one-sidedly means ignoring the historical and social events,"

Turkish and US scholars joined the conference organized by the Raindrop Foundation; however, Armenian scholars declined the invitations sent to them. Several Turkish and Armenian students followed the meeting. "Bridges can be established between Armenians and Turks," said Raindrop Foundation Chairman Yaşar Tiryakioğlu.