MINISTER OF DIASPORA: ISSUE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CANNOT BE A SUBJECT OF BARGAINING

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24, 2009

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian President declares that
the Armenian-Turkish borders should be opened, diplomatic relations
should be established without preconditions, and the issue of Armenian
Genocide can never be a subject of bargaining in developments of
Armenian-Turkish relations. RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian,
who visited Yerevan Memorial Complex of Armenian Genocide on April
24, reminded in her interview to journalists. The Minister emphasized
that the Armenian communities are aware that the Armenian state has
not changed its policy in this issue.

"April is not only a month of death, but also a month of rebirth,
and today all Diasporan Armenians, all communities in the world mourn
over the memory of our millions of martyrs, commemorate being firmly
convinced that all the same, the Armenian Cause, the Armenian Genocide
should receive world recognition and should be even recognized by
Turkey," she said.

Among Armenian high-ranking officials visiting Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial Complex, Hranush Hakobian, as well as Minister of Emergency
Situations Mher Shahgeldian were the few officials, who were willing
to speak to journalists. RA President Serzh Sargsyan with his wife,
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian, RA Constitutional Court Chairman
Gagik Haroutiunian, newly appointed Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglarian,
ministers, deputies, law enforcement structures heads, other officials
visited the Memorial Complex.

A liturgy was served by Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II at
the eternal fire perpetuating the memory of Armenian Genocide victims.

U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to RA Marie
Yovanovitch said in her interview to journalists: "It is a tragic
day: we, the Americans, are today here with the Armenians and have
a possibility to pray for them."

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to RA
Olexander Bozhko, in his turn, said: "We, the Ukrainians, share the
Armenian people’s grief, because one cannot speak about the Armenian
Genocide without excitement and without indignation, because a whole
civilization, the considerable part of the Armenian people was lost. I
know it well, as I myself translated the David of Sassoun, I know what
a wonderful country Armenia was, I translated the Komitas novelette
by Vardan Vardanian, Musegh Galshoyan’s novelettes about Western
Armenia, I know what there was and what happened." Nevertheless,
according to the Ambassador, the Armenian people has passed this
very difficult, bloody way, proved its value and continues proving
it in the world. O. Bozhko also said that on April 24 Ukrainian TV
companies started their broadcasts with the words that "today is
April 24, and the whole world remembers that mournful day."