HAKOB AVETIKIAN: A DIVIDE IS BEING FORMED BETWEEN DIASPORA AND ARMENIA, AND IT HAS A TENDENCY TO DEEPEN

Noyan Tapan
Oct 7, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The pan-Armenian tour of the
Armenian president shows that the majority of Diaspora Armenians
are not prepared for such a crucial decision as the Armenia-Turkey
protocols. Chairman of Armenakan-Ramkavar Azatakan Party,
editor-in-chief of Azg daily Hakob Avetikian expressed this opinion at
the October 7 press conference. At the same time he stressed that such
vehement opposition by the Diaspora came as a surprise to him. In his
opinion, the protest actions staged during the president’s tour were
not spontaneous, but were well oragnized and prepared, especially
by the ARF. He said that the Diaspora should not be perceived as a
homogeneous whole, so this wave of protests was somewhat expected.

H. Avetikian does not believe that the Armenian authorities in
the person of the RA president were completely unreasonable in
this issue. According to him, in any case this tour will have its
consequences and impact. He noted that although there will be no
changes in the protocols, they may be ratified with reservations
concerning some points.

Azg’s editor is concerned about the fact that a divide is being
formed between the Diaspora and Armenia, and it has a tendency
to deepen. "Those responsible in this issue play an important
role. All this may deepen and have a continuous nature. I expect
the ARF leadership to be able to prevent the divide from deepening,"
H. Avetikian said.

He expressed an opinion that after the ratification of the protocols,
the Official Yerevan will change to some extent its tactics with
respect to the international recognition of the Genocide. "I don’t
think that it will make part of the foreign policy, as was stated. Here
it is important for the state to distribute roles so that everybody
will know what to do and how. We cannot stop the pressures, but we
have a new front – Turkish society. We should review the tools we use
and we should take more influential measures to promote the Genocide
recognition process, especially in Turkey," H. Avetikian said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress