ZHARANGUTIUN FACTION MEMBER: ARMENIA’S STEPS TOWARDS TURKEY ESTRANGE DIASPORA

Noyan Tapan
May 20, 2009

YEREVAN, MAY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The process of normalization of Armenia’s
relations with Turkey is a threat to Armenian people’s unity. Vardan
Khachatrian, a member of the Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction, stated
on May 19 at the RA National Assembly.

According to him, Turkey and Azerbaijan continue unitedly acting
against Armenia at international instances. V. Khachatrian also
reminded of Turkish Prime Minister’s statements made lately, in which
normalization of relations with Armenia is conditioned by the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement, as well as a threat of banishment of dozens of
thousands of Armenians working in Turkey is voiced. And the arguments
that such statements are for internal use, according to V. Khachatrian,
do not seem convincing.

Armenia’s steps aimed at normalizing its relations with Turkey
contribute to estrangement of the Diaspora from the homeland, one
of the brightest evidence of which, according to the deputy, was the
picture of Disapora’s voting for the Armenian singers in Eurovision.

Being for development of Armenian-Turkish relations, deputy
Viktor Dallakian meanwhile called for not forgetting the lessons of
history. He reminded that by the Treaty of Kars Armenian territories
were divided among Turkey and Azerbaijan without Armenian side’s
participation. Turkey and Azerbaijan acted unitedly then, and the
Russian delegation paid no attention to it, and Armenia’s interests
were sacrificed to establishment of Russian-Turkish partnership.