REVIEW OF ARMENIAN STUDIES A Biannual Journal of History, Politics and International Relations no: 26 Facts and Comments Ömer E. LÜTEM 2012 Caucasus 2012 Drills: Russia’s Efficacy Attempts in the Caucasus as Part of Its Security Strategies Ali ASKER Armenian Relocation and International Law Yılmaz ERACAR Categorizing Historiography: Turkish-Armenian Relations Throughout History Armand SAĞ Self-Determination vs. Territorial Integrity: Ottoman-Armenian Conflict of 1915 From Two Perspectives of Statehood Bülent TEMEL Interview With Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı BOOK REVIEWS REVIEW OF ARMENIAN STUDIES A Biannual Journal of History, Politics and International Relations 2012, No 26 PUBLISHER Ömer Engin LÜTEM MANAGING EDITOR Aslan Yavuz ŞİR EDITORIAL BOARD In Alphabetical Order Prof. Dr. Seçil KARAL AKGÜN Ömer E. LÜTEM (Middle East Technical University) (Ret. Ambassador, Director of the Prof. Dr. Nedret KURAN BURÇOĞLU Center for Eurasian Studies) (Boğaziçi University) Prof. Dr. Nurşen MAZICI Prof. Dr. Sadi ÇAYCI (Marmara University) (Başkent University) Prof. Dr. Nesib NESSİBLİ Prof. Dr. Kemal ÇİÇEK (Khazar University) (Turkish Historical Society) Prof. Dr. Hikmet ÖZDEMİR Dr. Şükrü ELEKDAĞ (Political Scientist) (Ret. Ambassador, Member of Parliament) Prof. Dr. Mehmet SARAY Prof. Dr. Metin HÜLAGÜ (Historian) (Erciyes University) Dr. Bilal N. ŞİMŞİR Dr. Erdal İLTER (Ret. Ambassador, Historian) (Historian) Prof. Dr. Arslan TERZİOĞLU Prof. Dr. Enver KONUKÇU (İstanbul University) Armağan KULOĞLU (Ret. Major General) ADVISORY BOARD In Alphabetical Order Assist. Prof. Dr. Kalerya BELOVA Prof. Dr. Hasan KÖNİ (Institute of International Relations) (Yeditepe University) Prof. Dr. Peter BENDIXEN Andrew MANGO (University of Hamburg) (Journalist, Author) Edward ERICKSON Prof. Dr. Justin MCCARTHY (Historian) (University of Louisville) Prof. Dr. Yavuz ERCAN Otto WINKELMAN (Ankara University) (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe University) Prof. Dr.Yusuf HALAÇOĞLU (Gazi University) EDITOR Ömer Engin LÜTEM Review of Armenian Studies is published biannually Review of Armenian Studies is a refereed journal. Review of Armenian Studies is indexed in EBSCO and TUBITAK-ULAKBIM databases. Articles submitted for publication are subject to peer review. The editorial board takes into consideration whether the submitted article follows the rules of scientific writing. The articles are sent to two referees known for their academic reputation in their respective areas. Upon their decision, the article will be published in the journal, or rejected. The reports of the referees are kept confidential and stored in the Journalʼs archives for five years. Publication Office 2447. Sokak Çınar Sitesi 3. Blok No: 32/61 Ümit Mah. Yenimahalle/Ankara Tel: 0 (312) 438 50 23 www.avim.org.tr ISSN: 1303-5304 Subscription Office Hülya ÖNALP Terazi Yayıncılık Eğt. Org. Mat. Kırt. Ltd. Şti. Süleyman Nazif Sok. No.12/B Daire 2 06550 Çankaya/ANKARA Tel: 0 (312) 438 50 23-24 Fax: 0 (312) 438 50 26 E-mail: [email protected] Design Ruhi ALAGÖZ Printing Özyurt Matbaacılık Büyük San. 1. Cad. Süzgün Sok. 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CONTENTS (İÇİNDEKİLER) Page Editorial Note.............................................................................................................................................5 (Editörün Notu) ARTICLES ...................................................................................................................................................7 (MAKALELER) Facts and Comments .......................................................................................................................7 (Olaylar ve Yorumlar) Ömer Engin LÜTEM Caucasus 2012 Drills: Russiaʼs Efficacy Attempts in the Caucasus as Part of Its Security Strategies .......................................................................67 (Kafkas 2012 Tatbikatı: Güvenlik Stratejileri Kapsamında Rusyaʼnın Kafkaslarda Etkinlik Denemesi) Assist. Prof. Dr. Ali ASKER Armenian Relocation and International Law ........................................................................81 (Ermeni Tehciri ve Uluslararası Hukuk) Yılmaz ERACAR Categorizing Historiography: Turkish-Armenian Relations Throughout History.............................................................127 (Historiografinin Kategorileştirilmesi: Tarih Boyunca Türk-Ermeni İlişkileri) Armand SAĞ CONTENTS Self-Determination vs. Territorial Integrity: Ottoman-Armenian Conflict of 1915 From Two Perspectives of Statehood.........173 (Kendi Kaderini Tayin Vs. Toprak Bütünlüğü: İki Farklı Devlet Oluş Perspektifinden 1915 Osmanlı-Ermeni Çatışması) Bülent TEMEL Interview With Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı................................................................................191 (Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı ile Mülakat) BOOK REVIEWS.................................................................................................................................199 (KİTAP TAHLİLLERİ) Armenians: Perpetrators and Victims...................................................................................199 (Ermeniler: Failler ve Kurbanlar) Ellen Kronheim REISMAN The Sandcastle Girls ...................................................................................................................203 (Kumdan Kale Kızları) Hazel ÇAĞAN Review of Armenian Studies 3 No. 26, 2012 4 Review of Armenian Studies No. 26, 2012 EDITORIAL NOTE n Facts and Comments, the first article of the current number of our journal, Iaddresses the developments occurring in the six months within the second half of 2012 concerning the Armenian Questions and Turkey-Armenia relations. Within this period, full stagnation has dominated Turkey-Armenia relations. Furthermore, it has been observed that the contacts made between civil society and professional organizations, which are particularly encouraged by the US, have not created any results. The issues coming to the fore from among quite a number of the issues addressed in this rather long article are summarized as follows: The importance the US attaches to the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations is continuing. Since Barack Obama has been elected once again, it could be understood that this policy of the US will continue for the next four years. Although the desire to establish better relations between the two countries has become more apparent following the election of François Hollande as President, this time the inclusion of some EDITORIAL NOTE information in French textbooks, which only takes the Armenian views into consideration in regards to the Armenian genocide allegations, has created a new problem. It appears that the incumbent president will be elected again in the presidential election to be held in Armenia in February 2013. When considering that the Armenian Republican Party, the great partner of the Government, has won the parliamentary election, it could be deduced that in the next couple of years there will be stability in Armenia in terms of its domestic policy. On the other hand, it is believed that to what extent Armenia will join a movement to form a bloc such as the Eurasian Union and customs union led by the Russian Federation and to what extent it will develop its relations with the European Union, NATO and the US and also what kind of a policy it will follow regarding the resolution of the Karabakh conflict and the normalization of its relations with Turkey will carry priority for Armenia among its foreign policy issues in the upcoming years. Concerning the other articles, in his article entitled Caucasus 2012 Drills: Russia’s Efficacy Attempts in the Caucasus as Part of Its Security Strategies, Ali Asker focuses on the hidden political purposes of the military exercises being Review of Armenian Studies 5 No. 26, 2012 performed this year in September in Southern Russia, Abkhazia, Southern Ossetia and Armenia. In his article entitled Armenian Relocation and International Law, Yılmaz Eracar develops an interesting view that the research of the 1915 events should be conducted through a historical aspect rather than a legal aspect and indicates that since the 1948 Convention cannot be applied retroactively, it cannot be applied to the 1915 events either and furthermore, that the 1915 events can also not be considered as a crime against humanity due to the decision of relocation being taken for reasons of statute of limitations and war. Armand Sağ, in his article entitled Categorizing History: Turkish-Armenian Relations Throughout History, has divided scholars researching the Armenian Question and the Armenian genocide allegations into four categories according to their tendencies. While in the first category are those who recognize these allegations without any hesitations,