Interest in yesterday's historic statement by US President Joe Biden was undoubtedly focused on his report on the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.
However, the interest of the Greek public was aroused by another point of his so carefully formulated statement and specifically in the use of the Greek name Istanbul for the then capital of the Empire instead of the Turkish name Istanbul, which is used officially at the international level.
In particular, in his original statement in English, Mr. Biden used the word Constantinople and no Istanbul"Every year on this day, we remember the lives of all those who died in the Armenian Genocide of the Ottoman era and we pledge to prevent such atrocities again. "Beginning on April 24, 1915, with the arrest of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Istanbul by the Ottoman authorities, one and a half million Armenians were deported, slaughtered or marched to their deaths in an extermination campaign."
His carefully crafted statement is due to the fact that until 1928 the Greek name Constantinople was used internationally, while the Ottoman authorities, until the formal overthrow of the Empire by the nationalists of Kemal Ataturk in 1923, officially used the Arabic version. of the same name, namely Konstantiniye.
In the period after the Armistice of 1918, historical sources mention the use of both names. The Great Powers that landed their troops in the City after World War I used the prevailing international name, Istanbul. The Ottoman authorities did the same in their official documents, using names that had their roots in the "City of Constantinople". However, the Turkish population, and especially the part that gradually joined the national movement that was "igniting" in Ankara, preferred the word Istanbul, as it had a less negative connotation for them, as it sounded more Turkish, regardless of the fact that this word also had a Greek root, derived from the phrase "to Pauline".
With the adoption of the Latin script in Turkish in 1928, the name Konstantinige / Istanbul was completely abolished, the Turkish authorities banned its use and the Turkish name "Istanbul", written in the Latin alphabet, was imposed. In fact, the international mail that carried the word Constantinople to the address was returned, even if the sender used the word Istanbul next to it.
Joe Biden's statement on the Armenian Genocide was, if nothing else, carefully worded and therefore his reference to the then internationally recognizable old name of the city is of political interest.
It could be interpreted as an extra subtle manipulation of language on his part to place the responsibility for the Genocide on the Ottoman Empire and to suggest in a subcutaneous way that it separates modern Turkey from the burden of that responsibility. "It simply came to our notice then. We confirm the story. We are doing this not to blame, but to ensure that what happened will never happen again, "he hastened to add, among other things, to his statement.
Joe Biden's statement on the Armenian Genocide:
"Every year on this day, we remember the lives of all those who died in the Armenian Genocide of the Ottoman era and we pledge to prevent such atrocities again. Beginning on April 24, 1915, with the arrest of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Istanbul by Ottoman authorities, one and a half million Armenians were deported, slaughtered, or marched to their deaths in an extermination campaign. We honor the victims of the Meds Yeghern, so that the horrors of what happened will never be lost in history. And we remember to always be vigilant against the corrosive effect of hatred in all its forms.
Of those who survived, most were forced to find new homes and new lives around the world, including the United States. With strength and resilience, the Armenian people survived and rebuilt their community. Over the decades, Armenian immigrants have enriched the United States in countless ways, but they have never forgotten the tragic story that brought so many of their ancestors to our shores. We honor their history. We see this pain. We confirm the story. We do this not to blame, but to ensure that what happened will never happen again.
Today, as we mourn what has been lost, let us also turn our eyes to the future - to the world we want to build for our children. A world that is not tainted by the daily evils of intolerance and intolerance, where human rights are respected and where all people can go on with their lives with dignity and security. Let us renew our common determination to prevent future atrocities from anywhere in the world. And let us continue the healing and reconciliation for all the people of the world.
"The American people honor all those Armenians who perished in the genocide that began 106 years ago today."
Source: CNN