‘SOONER OR LATER THE US WILL RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’
Azg/arm
2 April 05
Abdullah Gul, Turkish foreign minister, said during the meeting with
his Swiss counterpart, Micheline Calmy Rey, that the accusations of
the genocide are unacceptable statements made by the representatives
of the Armenian Diaspora that try to spoil Turkey’s relations with
other countries.
Gul meant the EU states and the US. It is known that the EU countries
demand from Turkey to take steps for recognition of the Armenian
Genocide to get EU membership. As for the US it expresses readiness to
recognize the genocide. Paul Wolfowitz, the US secretary for defense,
touched upon the readiness of America to recognize the Armenian
Genocide.
On March 31 Turkish Miliet published the interview of Ross Vartian,
chairman of the Armenian Assembly of America, where he touched upon
the steps taken by their Assembly and the members of the
Armenian-American Friendship group at the House of Representatives at
the US Congress. The interview was given in Washington to the
correspondent of Miliet Yasemin Congar.
In response to the question about the new formula of the genocide’s
recognition, Mr. Vartian emphasized its similarity with the formula
that was excluded from the agenda of the House of Representatives on
October 19, 2000 by the instruction of Bill Clinton. He said that the
formula will be submitted to the US Congress on April 20. Vartian
added that the new formula will be published at Conference of “90th
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.” The conference will be held by
the American Armenian Organizations, the US embassy to Armenia and the
Armenian-American friendship group at the House of Representatives at
the US Congress.
Vartian touched upon the Turkish-Armenian contradictions and pointed
out the notorious article by Robert Pollock. He said that sooner or
later the US will do what other states did in the issue of the
Armenian Genocide, adding that “France recognized the Genocide but
that didn’t spoil the Turkish-French relations at all.”
He found the suggestion of the Turkish officials to discuss the issues
of the genocide, explaining that with the fact that the historians had
done it long ago and come to certain conclusion. As for the
correspondent’s question about statement Vigen Chitechian’s, RA
ambassador to CE, statement, Vartian said: “Let him ask about that
from Yerevan. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is one of the
primary issues of Armenia’s foreign policy. Every year on April 24
over 1 million of people visit the Monument to the Armenian
Genocide. We, the Armenian Diaspora, do not feel hostility against the
Turks.”
In response to the questions concerning Turkey’s territorial
integrity, the Armenian-Turkish relations, Vartian didn’t exclude that
the recognition may cause certain consequences for Turkey. “But the
consequences of the recognition doesn’t concern Diaspora. This is up
to Yerevan and Ankara to decide. As for the territorial claims, the
Armenian authorities have unilaterally stated about respecting the
territorial integrity of Turkey. Armenia and Turkey should be able to
discuss all the existing issues. It is necessary to open the border.
The recognition of the Armenian Genocide can be no precondition for
the improvement of the relations between Yerevan and Ankara. The
recognition ofthe Genocide will take place when the Turkish people
want that and when they make the Turkish government do that. The
external pressure will yield no results. Turkey is gradually changing,
questioning the history, otherwise Orhan Pamuk would not be able to
publicly speak about the massacre of 1 million 500 thousand of
Armenians,” Vartian underscored.
By Hakob Chakrian