PanARMENIAN.Net

Turkish radio broadcasting in Armenian merely political step
21.03.2009 15:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The beginning of radio transmission in the Armenian
language in Turkey is merely political step, an Armenian expert said.

"Turkish authorities signal Yerevan that they are ready to continue
the process of normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations," Alexander
Iskandaryan, director of the Caucasus Institute, told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Assurances of fulfilling commitments to the European Union on national
minorities’ rights protection are meaningless words, according to him.

"There are many national minorities in Turkey but neither of them has
a radio channel in native language. Kurds are an exception, as there
are millions of Kurds in the country and this problem is pressing,"
Iskandaryan said, adding that this initiative might be linked to the
impending visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to Turkey.

According to Anatolian Agency, the first program will be broadcasted
on April 24 when Armenians all over the world commemorate victims of
the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.