DIASPORA HAS THE LAST WORD IN NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
27.05.2009 18:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "On May 28, 1918 Armenia was proclaimed an
independent and united country. In a year a more important council
took place where the unity of Armenian nation was discussed.

Unfortunately, not much attention has been given to the fact. Both
in politics and in literature, we keep forgetting about the unity of
the Armenian people, by separating Eastern and Western Armenia,"
RA NAS History Institute Director Ashot Melkonyan told a news
conference. According to him, despite warm relations between Armenia
and Diaspora, Yerevan can’t manage to establish multilateral relations
with Diaspora.

"I don’t think normalization of Armenian-Turkish ties is only Armenia’s
problem. It’s a problem of the whole Armenian nation," RA NAS History
Institute Director stated, noting that Western Armenians also have
a voting authority. "Diaspora has the last word in normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations. I believe that Diaspora has to appoint
legal authorities to represent the interests of Western Armenia,"
Melkonyan sated.

"Turkey is more interested in territorial integrity issue, rather than
Armenian Genocide and NKR," RA NAS Institute Director stated. The issue
of Armenian Genocide recognition will lose its meaning if Armenia
recognizes territorial integrity of Turkey. It will become just a
matter of "culture". Turkey will offer "apologies" and the "matter will
be forgotten". Germans these days take every opportunity to apologize
to Jews. Despite $3 billion of contributions paid to Jews, Israel is
assured that Holocaust will never be forgotten, and same goes for us."