OLEG HAYRAPETOV: BARBARITY CAN BE COUNTERED ONLY BY CULTURE

ArmRadio.am
14.06.2006 17:14

“The relations between Armenia and Russia are in a stage of
development, when we need to demonstrate moderateness and
comprehension. Barbarity and violence can be countered only by
culture and knowledge,” said Oleg Hayrapetov, Adviser of the Agency
on Interregional Cultural Ties of the Office to the President of the
Russian Federation.

“As a Russian official and as an individual I am concerned with
the recent xenophobia in the large cities of Russia,” said Oleg
Hayrapetov. He is confident that the attitude of Russian intellectuals
toward Armenians has not change and the recent murders are not an
expression of hatred toward Armenians.

“No one asks to close the eyes on what is happening; it is, however,
unserious to speak about hatred towards Armenians,”the speaker
said. In his words, a generation that was brought up in 1990s without
comprehension and moral intelligence burst out to the streets of
Russian cities. “I understand the concern of Armenians. Their reaction
to the recent events is quite natural. However it’s not serious to
speak of Armenophobia in Russia,” Oleg Hayrapetov said.