PanARMENIAN.Net

Interview

Kiro Manoian:

We Will Counteract Anti-Armenian Rallies in Europe by
All Means

The Turkish community held an anti-Armenian rally in
Lyon March 18. The prefect of Rhone province
authorized the action though it propagandized hatred
and genocide denial and was secretly supported by the
Turkish Embassy in Paris and Consulate in Lyon. The
local authorities were also aware that Grey Wolves
Fascist organization was also participating in the
organization of the marches. The Lyon demonstration
had clear characteristics of Genocide denial,
something unacceptable in France, the country that
passed a law recognizing this crime. By
PanARMENIAN.Net’s request, ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and
Political Office Director Kiro Manoian comments on the
situation.

23.03.2006 GMT+04:00

Do you think the Lyon events will receive development?

It’s hard to stop anti-Armenian rallies and speeches
in France. The Hay Dat European Office will counteract
them by all means from propaganda up to purposeful
policy. The Armenian community of France counting
350-400 thousand people is very solid. Armenians wield
influence on the French authorities while Turks
numbering 850 thousand are badly organized and have no
political weight.

The Turkish community is mostly province-born and has
no precise notion of the country they live in. `The
Turkish community is relatively new and doesn’t enjoy
respect in France. The fact that Armenians were
supported by the French and Arabs is important. Turks
should understand that not only Armenians but also
natives of France, Germany and other states speak out
against them in Europe.

Are the anti-Turkish spirits in France connected with
the Armenian Genocide issue?

Anti-Turkish spirits grew in France in 2005. This is
conditioned by the start of EU-Turkey negotiations.
The Armenian Genocide recognition is one of France’s
lines towards Turkey. Armenians should take the
opportunity and urge the European states to recognize
the Armenian Genocide.

The Hay Dat European Office carried out a great deal
of work thanks to which French students are aware of
the Genocide. Genocide denying slogans and posters are
prohibited by the French law. Knowing this French
students joined Armenians, the representatives of the
ARF Dashnaktsutyun youth branch.

Armenian historians frequently receive invitations to
take part in Armenian Genocide conferences in Turkey.
Which is the aim of these conferences?

Conferences summoned by Turkish historians have one
single objective – to engage Armenians in a dispute
over the Armenian Genocide to find out whether it
really took place. Armenian historians are absolutely
right to reject invitations to forums of the kind.
They have nothing to talk about with the people
representing the viewpoint of the Turkish state.
Another matter when they communicate with the
representatives of Turkish scientific circles
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Our historians meet
with Taner Ancam, Murad Belge and some others. I
should say that these people receive invitations even
later than Armenians do and sometimes they do not
manage to arrive in time at a conference organized at
a state level.

«PanARMENIAN.Net», 23.03.2006