GIRO MANOYAN: RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS IN STATE INTERESTS OF U.S.
Noyan Tapan
M arch 16, 2009
YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Giro Manoyan, the Responsible Person
of ARFD Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office, considers that it should
not be excluded that a document on opening the border will be signed
between Armenia and Turkey in 2009. As the ARFD figure mentioned at
the March 16 press conference, he came to that conclusion taking as
a basis the rumors spread and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s statements. The signing of the above mentioned document,
according to G. Manoyan, depends on the fact of whether Turkey will
manifest a political will. "The Turks understand that the document
is in their interests," the ARFD figure said.
Touching upon Armenia’s interests, he expressed concern that
presence of such a document may suppress the Armenians in the issue
of protecting their own rights, as well as may force them to renounce
the demand of recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
G. Manoyan said that at present ARFD is preparing an analysis having a
goal to find out the influence of opening the Armenian-Turkish border
on Armenia’s economy. According to him, opening the border can become
an "occasion for Turkish economic invasion."
As to U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey scheduled for April
6, G. Manoyan expressed an opinion that it has two explanations. The
first explanation, according to him, is that B. Obama has decided not
to use the word "genocide" on April 24 and goes to calm down the Turks
and the other is that he has decided to pronounce that word and wishes
to gain Turkey’s favor in some way. In G. Manoyan’s affirmation, the
U.S. President will keep his preelection promise and will recognize
the Armenian Genocide. In response to the question of whether he will
not avoid doing it trying not to endanger the state interest of the
United States, G. Manoyan stated that the recognition of the Genocide
is just in the interests of the U.S. "It is the President who decides
the state interest, and he would not like to have partners constantly
speaking in the language of the blackmail like Turkey.
B. Obama will strive for solving that problem once and for all,"
the speaker concluded.