PROTCOLS NOT PRIMARY ISSUE IN TURKEY: SAFRASTYAN
Tert
Oct 30 2009
Armenia
The Turkish Diaspora in the US, unlike the Armenian, generally
expressed a positive opinion on the Armenian-Turkish Protocols,
Director of Oriental Studies Institute of National Academy of Sciences
Ruben Safrastyan told journalists today.
According to him, it is necessary to state that the active members of
the Turkish Diaspora are involved in organizations that receive support
from the Turkish government. "That is to say, the organizations
functioning in the Turkish Diaspora, in essence are structures
established and financed by Turkish government."
In Europe, the analyst states, the picture is a little different, since
Turkish organizations are structures of numerous political forces.
Turkish people’s positive attitude towards the Armenian-Turkish
Protocols, according to Safrastyan, is because the Turkish Diaspora
is under the influence of the Turkish government.
Touching upon the attitude towards the Protocols in Turkey, Safrastyan
said: "It seems to me that there is an impression in our public that
the Protocols raised very negative waves in Turkey." He also stated
that’s not the case or it’s expressed differently. The analyst said
that harsher criticism addressed to Armenians is made during numerous
public events.
"But, in general, the Turkish public doesn’t have as much interest in
these Protocols as, for example, they have in the latest developments
in the Kurdish issue," concluded the analyst.