RUBEN SAFRASTYAN: GENOCIDE ISSUE REMAINS ON ARMENIA’S FOREIGN POLICY AGENDA
armradio.am
01.07.2008 17:05
The Armenian Genocide issue remains on the agenda of Armenia’s foreign
policy, and RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s latest statements on Turkey
should not be viewed as divergence from this issue, Director of
the Oriental studies Institute of RA National Academy of Sciences,
Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan told a press conference today. He
assessed President Serzh Sargsyan’s move to invite Turkish President
to watch the Armenia-Turkey football match as a daring step. "The
suggestion made by our President is an attempt to overcome the crisis
and there is a great probability that Turkey’s President will accept
the invitation," the Turkologist added.
As for the creation of a commission of historians to investigate the
Genocide issue, Ruben Safrastyan noted that turkey’s Prime minister
had already spoken about the establishment of the commission, but
these are completely different proposals. He stressed that according
to Turkish Prime Minister’s suggestion, the historians were to discuss
whether there was genocide or not, i.e. the commission would decide
who was right.
"However, Armenia’s President speaks about discussion of the fact, and
not its authenticity," the speaker noted. Ruben Safrastyan considers
that creation of such a commission will benefit the Turkish society,
since they will thus get an opportunity to familiarize themselves with
the historic fact, which has not been accessible to them up until now.
The Turkologist considers that if the commission is formed, it
will include Turkish scholars who accept the fact of the Armenian
Genocide. He noted that Turkish specialists who accept the fact of
the Genocide use the term "pre-genocide" in order to avoid trial.
Ruben Safrastyan does not consider formation of such a commission
is probable, since "Turkey will not agree to open the border without
concessions on the Genocide issue." He is sure, however, that Armenian
historians are ready to work with their Turkish colleagues.