MIDEAST MIRROR 23.04.15, SECTION C (TURKEY & IRAN)

1-From today’s Turkish press

ARMENIAN ISSUE: Cengiz Candar has some blunt words to say in centre-left Radikal: "Obama has not got a personal problem describing the 1915 events as 'genocide', because he does not believe that Ankara's 'denial of the genocide' is correct. We know this from his statements when he was a frontrunner for the presidency in 2008. But whatever word Obama will choose does not alter the reality of what happened 100 years ago. What we should care about is not what Obama will say, but the liberality of the people of Turkey. The 'reality of 1915' is the extermination of the Anatolian Armenian people. This is the simple truth."

Dogan Heper blames the Armenian diaspora for inciting hatred in centrist Milliyet: "The Armenian 'diaspora' continues to stir enmity. It seeks tension rather than peace. The wealthy diaspora ignores how people living in Armenia suffer from poverty and incites them against Turkey. And they have supporters in Europe. However, let us say that what happened lies in the past and look at how things stand today. There are almost 200,000 illegal Armenians in Turkey from Armenia, who are permitted to work; they are sending their income to their families from Turkey. If the border is opened, Armenian workers can live happily in Turkey. The diaspora and foreign powers cannot understand that they are acting against the interests of the Armenians of Armenia."

Writing in the same paper, Asli Aydintasbas argues that the government is playing the denial game:  "Even if you bring ministers from various African and Balkan countries, Prince Charles from the UK and our old friend Emir of Qatar for the 'alternative ceremony' in Istanbul, the world's historians, states and politicians share an opinion on what happened in 1915. That is why this manoeuvre only shows that Turkey is in 'denial' once again, and that it is nullifying the 'historic' statement it made last year."

Orhan Erinc takes a hard line in secular, Kemalist Cumhuriyet: "I am against using the word 'genocide'. And I am not talking about the law. There are two simple reasons: First, it is a mistake to say that the Ottoman Armenians who were called 'the loyal nation', were forced to migrate without any reason and it ignores the common pains. Second, if there had been such a genocide why were orphanages and schools opened to raise the surviving children properly when their elders were being killed? During the alleged genocide process, Armenian ministers, undersecretaries, advisers and translators in the Ottoman government continued with their jobs."

Ali Yurttagul seeks common ground in moderate, pro-Islamic, pro-Gulen in Zaman: "The Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey rapprochement is to the benefit of all three countries and has the potential to change political geography. Murdered Armenian journalist Hrant Dink saw this and was working for democracy in Armenia as well as Turkey. The Armenian and Turkish nationalists' hatred for him and our deep love and sympathy for him were no coincidence. Healing the wounds of what the Armenians call a 'great calamity', our nation calls the 'Armenian slaughter' and Hrant calls 'genocide', begins with understanding and sharing the pains."

Ali Bayramoglu shifts the responsibility onto past rulers in moderate, pro-Islamic, pro-government Yeni Safak: "1915 is not a product of Turkish society but of the [then ruling Ottoman] Party of Union and Progress and it is its responsibility. It is not the Turkish nation that is in the dock. Since the nation is not being accused, there is no reason to turn a blind eye to history. We should distance ourselves from those who spread hatred by relying on 1915 or using the 'Turkish nation' argument to cover up for the 1915 events. As a state, Turkey is under historical and political pressure because of these incidents."

Oya Baydar calls for acknowledgment of the genocide in independent Internet newspaper T24: "It is not important whether Europe has called it a genocide; or Obama did or did not call it such. Genocide is a legal and political concept and its official acceptance might have consequences, such as compensation claims being made on the state. On the other hand, the countries that are pushing ahead with the concept of genocide, especially Germany, which was the adviser and accomplice of the Ottoman Party of Union and Progress, should accept their part as well. I call it genocide, not for political reasons but as a matter of conscience, because I believe that unjust treatment cannot be measured or discussed. Conceding the genocide and offering an apology is not a concession to the Armenians, but a favor to ourselves, that is to say the Turkish nation."

2-From today’s Iranian press

NUCLEAR TALKS: Conservative Hemayat repeats: "Negotiations with the P5+1 have begun with the aim of lifting sanctions. There are disagreements inside the ‘arrogance front’ over when to lift sanctions. Differences between the White House and Congress have reached a peak and Congress has tried, under pressure by the Zionist lobby, to control the agreement with Iran. We seek to bring transparency to the deal and pursue simultaneously the complete lifting of sanctions on the day the agreement is signed." 

Reformist Arman beams with hope: "Our negotiating team has shown that it can link rationality with wisdom. We will achieve an agreement, which will allow us to jump through the nuclear gate to a higher position in the region and the world. The agreement will lead us towards globalization in all its socio-political dimensions and bring a better future for Iranians."

Centrist Jomhuri-ye Eslami would not tolerate impediments: "This phase of talks will determine the fate of many months of negotiations. Any obstruction and unconsidered measures contrary to the spirit of understanding will not be acceptable by any justification." 

YEMEN: Hard-line Keyhan insists that the Saudis have failed to achieve their objectives: "What was the reason for stopping Saudi attacks? What of their objectives have the Saudis achieved and most importantly, what will be the consequences of these developments? The answer is clear: the Saudis have failed to achieve their objectives. President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi has not returned to Yemen and stays in Riyadh. Houthi military capability was not destroyed and they fully control the strategic Strait of Bab al-Mandab. This fact alone is enough to reflect the defeat of the Saudi-American-Zionist puppet coalition fighting Yemeni revolutionaries." 

Conservative Resalat concurs: "After four weeks of military aggression against Yemen, Saudi Arabia ceased ‘Operation Decisive Storm’ without achieving any of its political objectives. Saudi Arabia could not reinstate Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi or strengthen the al-Qa’ida network to prevail. The Saudis could not break this proud nation along religious lines and inflame a civil war." 

Conservative Khorasan lectures the Arabs: "Arab military cooperation against Yemen did not bring diplomatic and military returns. Arabs should understand that being diplomatically smart is different from being puppets. King Salman’s only ally is the Zionist regime that consoles him and presents him as the winner of this war. Saudi Arabia and Israel are fighting a current that has resisted foreign penetration and plots for years. The resistance network does not belong to one group in the region; it is an indigenous mass power that has no other desire but freedom and independence."

Conservative Siyasat-e Ruz salutes Yemeni resistance: "Saudi Arabia launched a full-scale war imagining a prompt victory. The war is a reminder of Zionist crimes in Gaza. Using all its military capabilities, targeting infrastructure, killing women and children and using phosphorus bombs are a small part of Saudi crimes in Yemen. The 27-day-war points to the important fact that nations, by relying on themselves, their religious morale and resistance, can create an epic. The people of Yemen did so despite being among the 10 poorest countries and managed to win victory against an armed to the teeth and rich Saudi Arabia." 

Conservative Quds exaggerates: "After 27 days of airstrikes against the defenceless Yemenis, Saudi Arabia has been finally persuaded to raise the white flag of surrender. Saudi blind airstrikes failed to force the Yemeni people to surrender and boosted national convergence. Saudi Arabia has lost its legitimacy in the region and in the world for using weapons of mass destruction against the Yemeni people. It will face serious security challenges in the future." 

Hard-line Javan writes of a strategic Saudi defeat: "Contrary to Saudi claims of victory in Operation Decisive Storm, a close look at this operation shows that the Saudis have suffered a historic and strategic defeat. The oppressed people of Yemen achieved a historic victory at minimum cost. By the end of the operation, the position of the Houthis has strengthened. This means that by committing a strategic mistake and killing innocent Yemenis, the Saudi royal family has paved the way for its own collapse." 

Moderate Iran derives the lessons: "The ceasefire and the move to resolve disagreements over the Yemeni crisis on the negotiation table have two important messages. First, the era of extremism and militarism has ended in the region and hence, countries should put down their weapons and send their diplomats to follow up their goals. The second message is that regional and global powers are able to persuade and force disobedient actors to show flexibility and abandon warmongering ways."

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