At its recent edition, the German weekly “der Spiegel” published an interview with the Secretary General of NATO, H.E. Mr. Jens Stoltenberg.[1] The main theme of the interview was on NATO-Russian Federation Relations and compliance with the NATO-Russian Federation Founding Act on Mutual Relations. The weekly “der Spiegel” is known to pursue a sustained ideological line and to have unswervingly maintained a negative approach to Turkey. So, not surprisingly, also in this interview, the weekly has tried to push the Secretary General into the corner by raising questions on the eligibility of Turkey as a NATO member. However, this is not the issue this article intends to take up.

Addressing a question to the Secretary General, “what response does the Alliance have to the information war that Moscow is waging against the West?”, the Secretary General admitted that indeed a lot of propaganda was registered, adding also that NATO’s reaction to propaganda cannot also be propaganda. To this, the weekly asked “what then?”. The reply of the Secretary General was: “The truth. In the end, it will prevail. I am 100 percent convinced that an open society like that of Germany will ultimately be able to push facts through against the propaganda…”.

Wholeheartedly desirous of sharing the conviction of the Secretary General that the German society will ultimately be able to push facts, however, in view of the June 2nd decision of the German Federal Parliament which adopted the Armenian propaganda and one sided Armenian narrative, even though it was adopted by the majority of a minority of members and although none of the Government members, including the Chancellor herself were present in the voting, the motion itself is a significant indicator to the power and potential of propaganda and a reminder to be more cautious and vigilant to the effects of propaganda.

Should ears not be plugged, eyes not shut, sentimental ties not permitted to overcome reason, there are numerous archival documents, scholarly studies and more recently, court verdicts, judicial decisions by respectable judiciary to enable reaching the truth. An article by a distinguished scholar and historian, Mr. Jeremy Salt, published at the AVIM website, titled “A bad day in the Bundestag”[2] is a recent eye opener on the effectiveness of wide spread Armenian propaganda as well as a road map to reach the truth.

The motion adopted by the German Federal Parliament on June 2nd is of a nature to portray the expectations of the Secretary General from the German society, at least at this juncture, as one of good will, wishful thinking, but unfortunately, naive. Consequently, Turkey being one of NATO’s old, staunch and strong member, giving priority in her policies to cooperation with NATO and Allies, despite some unfriendly approaches of some of those Allies, it is of value to remind the Secretary General of NATO, HE Mr. Stoltenberg the need for prudence with his pronouncements on the effects of propaganda and the German society he has expressed to the weekly “der Spiegel”.