Sir, If the recent congressional resolution on the Armenian genocide was, as you suggest, appallingly timed, when is a suitable time to talk about genocide (“Danger signs”, Oct 22)? The Armenian lobby is so vociferous precisely because of the apparent conspiracy of silence that has surrounded the genocide for almost a century.

Turkey argues that Armenian fatalities in 1915 were largely caused by the First World War and because the Armenians sided with Russia, Turkey’s enemy. How does Turkey explain the estimated 500,000-plus deaths of Pontic Greeks and Assyrian Christians who were not allies of Tsarist Russia? The lack of any explanation would suggest that they were killed systematically because of their ethnicity or religion.

Reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia is an important element of Turkey’s effort to join the EU. Just as important is a lasting settlement to the conflict in Cyprus, which remains at an impasse. The handling of these critical issues will show us how prepared Turkey is to face up to its past before embracing its future.

Dr Charles Tannock, MEP
Brussels

Sir, You refer to “anguished Western pleas for restraint” on Turkey. Shouldn’t that be “hypocritical Western pleas for restraint”? Anguish is an appropriate word for the feelings of the relatives of the young Turkish National Servicemen being butchered on Turkish soil by PKK terrorists. It is less appropriate for the feelings of Western governments, which blundered into Iraq in 2003 and which still hold it against the Turkish Government that it refused permission to launch that blundering invasion from Turkish soil.

Osman Streater
London NW3

Sir, The decision of the Turkish parliament to authorise troops to cross into Iraq cannot be separated from the passing of the resolution by the US Senate to support the division of Iraq along ethnic lines into three separate regions under a limited central government. The non-binding resolution passed on September 26, and supported by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, would effectively create an oil-rich autonomous Kurdish state on Turkey’s border, strengthening the campaign for a wider Kurdistan. Despite the assurances George Bush made to Turkey before the 2003 invasion, this separation of Iraq was always anticipated by the US and was even set out in Iraq’s interim constitution.

Over the years Turkey has conducted 24 cross-border operations against the PKK in Iraq and the killing of Turkish soliders is nothing new. Indeed, the first six months of this year alone saw 111 members of the Turkish security forces killed. What is new is the Turkish determination to prevent the US from pushing through with the latest stage of their plan to carve up Iraq, combined with a resurgence of Kurdish nationalism buoyed by a genuine possibility of nationhood.

Stefan Simanowitz
Brighton

Sir, Further to Bronwen Maddox’s article on the Armenian question (World briefing, Oct 17) may I also point out that, since the 1970s, five Turkish ambassadors and 27 diplomats have been assassinated by Armenians. In these days of zero tolerance US policy on terrorism, would the House of Representatives take a vote on this issue as well?

Fuad Kavur
London SW1

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