ACCORDING TO A YEREVAN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, IN THE LETTER TO THE TURKISH PRESIDENT, RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN NAMED THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE A "GREAT ARMENIAN DISPOSSESSION"

Mediamax
February 13, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. "Hayots Ashkhar" newspaper published today the
article "Raffi Hovhannisian denies the Armenian Genocide", in which
it brings the copy of the letter of the "Heritage" Party Leader to
the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul.

Mediamax reports that, according to the publication, the letter
was sent on August 29 of 2007, on the occasion of Abdullah Gul’s
election for the position of the Turkish President. The letter in
English, the copy of which is published in "Hayots Ashkhar" today,
in particular, reads:

"The deep divides between out countries, be they of contemporary
character or part of the legacy of the Great Armenian Dispossession,
must be overcome and resolved in truth, with integrity, and through
the partnership of the two new leaders and their fellow citizens of
good faith and conscience".

Raffi Hovhannisian also expressed hope in the letter that "during your
tenure and that of the next Armenian President to be elected in several
months’ time, Turkish Armenian relations will enter a wholly new phase
of reflection, exploration, discovery and ultimate normalization".