ARMENIAN TOURIST RESORT OR ARMENIAN SETTLEMENT?
By H. Chaqrian
AZG Armenian Daily
17/05/2008
Armenia-Turkey
According to May 13 publication of "Milliet" newspaper, a tourist
resort for Armenians is to be constructed near the coast of Lake
Van. This initiative roused a wave of indignation in Turkey.
Most fiercely the initiative was opposed by Orhan Ozkaya, former
vice-director of Turkey’s Cadastre office.
On May 15 the official newspaper of the "Grey Wolves" organization,
"Eni Cag", responded the wave of indignation. According to the
newspaper, Ozkaya stated that the tourist resort, which is to be
constructed near the "Armenian Church of Akhramar" (according to
information provided by "Milliet" the resort is to be built on the
shore of the lake), can hardly have any positive consequences for
Turkey and it is aimed at converting the population into Christianity.
Ozkaya also expressed confidence that the Armenian tourist resort
implies establishment of an Armenian community in the Van region. For
that purpose the interconfessional dialogue is to be used. He also
noted that the Turkish legislation allows the community foundations
to buy unlimited areas of land, and this means that 10% of the area
of Van district may soon belong to foreigners (i.e. Armenians).