ISSUE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS STILL AT STAGE OF RECOGNITION, HISTORIAN RICHARD HOVANNISIAN SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Ma y 23, 2008
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The issue of the Armenian Genocide is
still at the stage of recognition, – historian, Professor of the
University of California Richard Hovannisian expressed an opinion
at the May 23 press conference. He disagreed with the historians who
believe that this issue is already in the legal field. According to
him, the next step to be taken after the Genocide’s recognition is
the issue of compensation, whose solution will be more difficult.
In his opinion, even the states to have recognized the Armenian
Genocide do not address the problem of compensation. In his words,
the Armenian authorities should achieve the problem’s solution
through dialog with Turkey. The historian stated that the issue
of the Genocide’s recognition will not be solved until the Turkish
government is prepared for it. He welcomed the fact that by opposing
their authorities, some Turkish scientists today started to raise
this issue. "We should encourage these scientists – in the hope that
they will blow up from inside Turkey’s policy of denial," he stated.
As for recognition of the Genocide by the U.S. Congress, the historian
noted that the Congress will eventually recognize it.