"AFTER THE MURDER OF HRANT DINK BECAME CLEAR THAT TURKEY IS NOT SO EASILY TO BE CHANGED FROM THE INSIDE"
By Ruzan Pogosian
AZG Armenian Daily
14/03/2007
Armenia’s National Interests
The project of legislation bill, providing for criminal responsibility
for denying the Armenian Genocide, will be discussed by the European
Parliament on May 19, 2007, and in case of being approved, will be
compulsory to adoption in all the European states.
This project, denied 3 years ago was once again raised by Germany,
and at present everything depends on the success of parliamentary
debates, said yesterday on a press conference Hilda Tchoboyan, head
of the European Armenian Federation. To the press conference was also
present Aram Hambarian, director executive of the "Hay Dat" commission.
Ms. Tchoboyan emphasized that an article providing for punishment
should be included in the bill, as it is in the case of the Jewish
Holocaust. The main difficulty is not about that, but in achieving
the approval of all the 27 EU member-states.
Mr. Hambarian added that their organization puts much trust in the US
Congress. Referring to the Genocide Resolution, he said he believes
that the Armenians will have the majority of the votes. He admitted
that Turkey will continue threatening and impeding the genocide
recognition process, but noticed that the last five years were enough
to be sure that Turkey’s threats never go beyond pathetic declarations.
"Armenia can never be safe until Turkey denies the Genocide. After
the murder of Hrant Dink we believe that it is hard to change Turkey
from inside.
Therefore we will cope to change Turkey’s policy of denial from
outside – with the recognition of the Genocide by the progressive
world society," said Mr. Hambarian.
US President George Bush never expresses his position about the
issue of the Armenian Genocide. He does neither deny nor accept the
deed. Every year on April 24 Bush expresses his condolences but never
uses the word "genocide". And he kicks off people recognizing the
Genocide openly, like John Evans.
Commenting on the question of assignment of a new US Ambassador
to Armenia, Hambarian said that the Senate came to conclusion that
Armenia will not accept anyone who denies the Genocide. Evans was
turned down, and so is Hogland. Time is ripe to find a new candidature
for that office