March 2010
Turkish Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Oguz Ozge: 'Turkey-Israel Relationship in the Middle East and Global Context'
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome members of the Capital Jewish Forum. I am delighted to address such a distinguished audience. I believe the discussions we are about to hold will contribute to a better understanding of our respective views on matters of interest to us.
I intend to make a short introductory statement and later shall be ready to take your questions.
At the outset I wish to make a few remarks: The Turkish-Israeli relations are based on a long-lasting friendship between the Turks and Jews. Actually the relationship precedes the establishment of the State of Israel. At present Turkey and Israel are natural partners in the Middle East. They uphold the same universal values and ideals. Our countries are in fact the only true liberal democracies in the region with market economies in place. We in Turkey attach importance to the security. We are aware that a comprehensive peace in the region would be the best security guaranty for Israel.
The developments that take place in the Middle East usually have an effect on our bilateral relationship. We may expect this correlation to continue for as long as the problems in the Middle East persist I am convinced that the periodic ups and downs that occur in the Turkish-Israeli relations will in no way cause any harm to the essence of our friendly ties, nor will alter the course of our deep-rooted partnership in the region. The two nations have so far been able to overcome those periodic difficulties. I can say therefore that the ties between the two communities have stood the test of time well.
Over the centuries the Ottoman Empire, to which the Turkish Republic is a successor state, served as a major place of refuge for people suffering from persecution, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Starting in the fourteenth century, the Ottomans captured lands of the Byzantine Empire in Anatolia. Curiously, the Jewish minorities, who survived centuries of Byzantine persecution, helped the Ottomans so that their administration would offer the Jewish a better life and in particular more freedom and tolerance. In later centuries the Ottoman Empire received approximately 150 thousand Jewish refugees who were under the threat of Christian attacks in western Europe. This includes above all, those Jews who fled from persecution at the hands of the inquisition in the Iberian Peninsula and Italy during the 15th century. In the 16th and 17th centuries the Ottomans gave refuge to thousands of Marranos. Actually they were Jews converted to Christianity in Spain under the force of the Inquisition, but who had continued to be subject to persecution because of suspicions that they had not in fact abandoned their former religions. In the 17th and 18th centuries the Ottomans provided refuge for many Jews who survived the Habsburg invasion of Serbia and Bulgaria following the failure of the second siege of Vienna in 1683 by the Ottomans. Lastly, I would like mention that after the establishment of the Turkish Republic and particularly during the 1930’s, the Turkish authorities took in hundreds of Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution, including leading professors, teachers, physicians, and artists and given senior positions. Most were appointed to major professorships in Istanbul and Ankara Universities. Others were given the opportunity to found and direct important scientific institutes. In addition, during the same period a number of Turkish diplomats helped a few thousand Jews, mostly former Turkish nationals, in order to rescue them through consular intervention from persecution in several European countries.
During the 19th century, Jewish immigration to Palestine and eventually to establish a Jewish homeland there was a topic on which intense debate raged in Europe, particularly in the British and French public. From the late 19th century, the Ottoman Empire adopted a policy of allowing a reasonable amount of Jewish immigration to Palestine despite the opposition of its Arab subjects. Thus, from 1882 to1903 some 25.000, 1904 to 1914 roughly 30000 and 1919 to 1922 nearly 40000 Jews, mainly from Russia and Poland were able to settle in Palestine.
The Turkish Parliament formally recognised the state of Israel on 28 March 1949, being the first Muslim state to do so just after one year of Israel’s establishment. Since then bilateral relations between the two countries have developed consistently, with interaction in the political, economic, scientific and military fields having priority.
I would like to touch upon the so-called Genocide allegations against Turkey as, the term of genocide may be of interest to you. The Armenian Diaspora alleges that in 1915, during World War I, 1.5 million Armenians living across the Ottoman lands were subjected to genocidal treatment. The documents and photos that they pass around as evidence are largely exaggerated or manipulated. We have made available to those of you who are interested, a copy of an article by an Australian scholar Mr. Jeremy Salt, about a forged photo in a book titled, published by Oxford University Press, a renowned British publishing house.
We must remember the circumstances in which the Turkish army wages a fierce war Armenian against the Russian army on its Eastern territories and the Armenian bands armed with the Russia attacked the Turkish army on one hand and rose in rebellion on the other with a view to establishing their own state on Turkish soil. In war conditions the Imperial government saw no other choice but to move the Armenians towards south coast of Turkey, away from the war theatre. During the movement of Armenians to the southern region there happened tragic events. But we are convinced that those tragic events never amounted to genocide. There was no intention of killing Armenians just for their being of Armenian origin. Clashes between Armenians and Turks and other subjects of the Empire mainly for revenge, epidemics, shortage of food caused casualties on both sides. We estimate the Armenian casualties to be 200 to 600 thousand. On the basis of British Empire and League of Nations figures, the total population of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of World War I was about 1.3 million. The Armenian claims that 1.5 million Armenians were subjected to the so-called genocide are therefore baseless.
The Holocaust was formally recognised by a judgment of the Nuremberg Tribunal. The members of the Armenian Diaspora must realise that they will also have to obtain a competent court’s judgment for their alleged genocide to be recognised. Resolutions obtained through parliaments largely on threat of withholding votes in constituencies where Armenians carry some weight in the electorate, cannot be sufficient. Yet the Armenians have so far refrained from to refer their claims to court. Because they know well that their position is weak. The UN Convention of 1948 which deals with genocide does not make any allowance for political groups that rose in rebellion or resort to arms, against the central authority.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome members of the Capital Jewish Forum. I am delighted to address such a distinguished audience. I believe the discussions we are about to hold will contribute to a better understanding of our respective views on matters of interest to us.
I intend to make a short introductory statement and later shall be ready to take your questions.
At the outset I wish to make a few remarks: The Turkish-Israeli relations are based on a long-lasting friendship between the Turks and Jews. Actually the relationship precedes the establishment of the State of Israel. At present Turkey and Israel are natural partners in the Middle East. They uphold the same universal values and ideals. Our countries are in fact the only true liberal democracies in the region with market economies in place. We in Turkey attach importance to the security. We are aware that a comprehensive peace in the region would be the best security guaranty for Israel.
The developments that take place in the Middle East usually have an effect on our bilateral relationship. We may expect this correlation to continue for as long as the problems in the Middle East persist I am convinced that the periodic ups and downs that occur in the Turkish-Israeli relations will in no way cause any harm to the essence of our friendly ties, nor will alter the course of our deep-rooted partnership in the region. The two nations have so far been able to overcome those periodic difficulties. I can say therefore that the ties between the two communities have stood the test of time well.
Over the centuries the Ottoman Empire, to which the Turkish Republic is a successor state, served as a major place of refuge for people suffering from persecution, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Starting in the fourteenth century, the Ottomans captured lands of the Byzantine Empire in Anatolia. Curiously, the Jewish minorities, who survived centuries of Byzantine persecution, helped the Ottomans so that their administration would offer the Jewish a better life and in particular more freedom and tolerance. In later centuries the Ottoman Empire received approximately 150 thousand Jewish refugees who were under the threat of Christian attacks in western Europe. This includes above all, those Jews who fled from persecution at the hands of the inquisition in the Iberian Peninsula and Italy during the 15th century. In the 16th and 17th centuries the Ottomans gave refuge to thousands of Marranos. Actually they were Jews converted to Christianity in Spain under the force of the Inquisition, but who had continued to be subject to persecution because of suspicions that they had not in fact abandoned their former religions. In the 17th and 18th centuries the Ottomans provided refuge for many Jews who survived the Habsburg invasion of Serbia and Bulgaria following the failure of the second siege of Vienna in 1683 by the Ottomans. Lastly, I would like mention that after the establishment of the Turkish Republic and particularly during the 1930’s, the Turkish authorities took in hundreds of Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution, including leading professors, teachers, physicians, and artists and given senior positions. Most were appointed to major professorships in Istanbul and Ankara Universities. Others were given the opportunity to found and direct important scientific institutes. In addition, during the same period a number of Turkish diplomats helped a few thousand Jews, mostly former Turkish nationals, in order to rescue them through consular intervention from persecution in several European countries.
During the 19th century, Jewish immigration to Palestine and eventually to establish a Jewish homeland there was a topic on which intense debate raged in Europe, particularly in the British and French public. From the late 19th century, the Ottoman Empire adopted a policy of allowing a reasonable amount of Jewish immigration to Palestine despite the opposition of its Arab subjects. Thus, from 1882 to1903 some 25.000, 1904 to 1914 roughly 30000 and 1919 to 1922 nearly 40000 Jews, mainly from Russia and Poland were able to settle in Palestine.
The Turkish Parliament formally recognised the state of Israel on 28 March 1949, being the first Muslim state to do so just after one year of Israel’s establishment. Since then bilateral relations between the two countries have developed consistently, with interaction in the political, economic, scientific and military fields having priority.
I would like to touch upon the so-called Genocide allegations against Turkey as, the term of genocide may be of interest to you. The Armenian Diaspora alleges that in 1915, during World War I, 1.5 million Armenians living across the Ottoman lands were subjected to genocidal treatment. The documents and photos that they pass around as evidence are largely exaggerated or manipulated. We have made available to those of you who are interested, a copy of an article by an Australian scholar Mr. Jeremy Salt, about a forged photo in a book titled, published by Oxford University Press, a renowned British publishing house.
We must remember the circumstances in which the Turkish army wages a fierce war Armenian against the Russian army on its Eastern territories and the Armenian bands armed with the Russia attacked the Turkish army on one hand and rose in rebellion on the other with a view to establishing their own state on Turkish soil. In war conditions the Imperial government saw no other choice but to move the Armenians towards south coast of Turkey, away from the war theatre. During the movement of Armenians to the southern region there happened tragic events. But we are convinced that those tragic events never amounted to genocide. There was no intention of killing Armenians just for their being of Armenian origin. Clashes between Armenians and Turks and other subjects of the Empire mainly for revenge, epidemics, shortage of food caused casualties on both sides. We estimate the Armenian casualties to be 200 to 600 thousand. On the basis of British Empire and League of Nations figures, the total population of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of World War I was about 1.3 million. The Armenian claims that 1.5 million Armenians were subjected to the so-called genocide are therefore baseless.
The Holocaust was formally recognised by a judgment of the Nuremberg Tribunal. The members of the Armenian Diaspora must realise that they will also have to obtain a competent court’s judgment for their alleged genocide to be recognised. Resolutions obtained through parliaments largely on threat of withholding votes in constituencies where Armenians carry some weight in the electorate, cannot be sufficient. Yet the Armenians have so far refrained from to refer their claims to court. Because they know well that their position is weak. The UN Convention of 1948 which deals with genocide does not make any allowance for political groups that rose in rebellion or resort to arms, against the central authority.
