TURKEY CONCERNED ABOUT ARMENIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S INITIATIVE TO
PROVIDE DIASPORAN ARMENIANS WITH OPPORTUNITY OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP

ANKARA, FEBRUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The law on
citizenship, which was passed by the RA National Assembly in first
reading and which provides Diasporan Armenians with the opportunity of
dual citizenship, has caused concern in Ankara.

According to the Turkish newspaper "Zaman", because of this law Turkey
will have a new "headache" with Armenia. "Some people in Turkey think
that after adoption of this law, the Republic of Armenia will come
under greater influence of Diasporan Armenians because 3 million 3
thousand Armenians live in Armenia, while their number reaches 4-9
million abroad. These people get the right to vote in Armenia, which
makes the current problems between Yerevan and Turkey desperate," the
paper writes.

The newspaper "Marmara" (Istanbul) wrote that historian Sedat
Lachiner, expert in Armenian issues and ardent supporter of Turkey’s
official view on the Armenian Genocide, called adoption of the law on
dual citizenship in Armenia "disaster". He insists that after this,
official Yerevan will come under the influence of Diasporan Armenians,
particularly in foreign policy issues.