UNEQUAL SITUATION WITHIN COMMISSION OF HISTORIANS, SAYS SHAHNAZARYAN

Tert.am
16:43 16.10.09

"I myself greatly doubt that the Protocols will come into effect,"
said opposition Armenian National Congress representative Davit
Shahnazaryan during a press conference today adding that he bears in
mind the clauses which refer to and are advantageous for Armenia,
"since they have certainly already begun to work on the clauses
referring to Turkey."

"Let me state that Armenian leadership’s positions and their
perspectives have essentially changed, because over the last few
weeks they too are saying it’s very difficult and there could be
serious problems," Shahnazaryan said. According to him, two serious
problems are obvious. He stated the subcommission of historians as
the first problem.

"I myself am convinced, this is an institute which is a serious risk
for Armenian-Turkish relations," Shahnazaryan emphasized and added
that Turkey is already saying that they need the subcommission "at the
very least, to put the Genocide issue to doubt, and, if successful,
to deny it in general."

Touching upon the second, but not less important, issue for Armenia,
Shahnazaryan said that as much as the country’s governing authorities
may refute it, the Protocols’ ratification is directly connected with
essential changes in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Speaking on the possibilities if not of the absolute elimination
of then at least the significant reduction of risks these two
issues include, Shahnazaryan stated, "I think there are [such
possibilities]. And it will be surprising at the least if the
leadership don’t take those steps now."

Referring to the subcommission, he stated that the sides will be in
an unequal situation within the commission, recalling Article 301 of
the Turkish Criminal Code, which states that one who even tries to
hint that the 1915 events were Genocide will be criminally liable.

That is to say, Shahnazaryan explains, Turkish representatives are
limited in such discuss yan thinks that the Armenian National Assembly,
before signing the Protocols, must pass a law which prohibits any
Armenian official from participating in discussions which place the
fact of the Genocide into doubt.

"Thus the situation in that commission will become equal to some extent
and the discussion of the issue will already be prohibited by law."