TURKISH JOURNALISTS DO NOT HAVE AGGRESSION AZERI JOURNALISTS HAVE, TURKOLOGIST ARTAK SHAKARIAN CONSIDERS

NOYAN TAPAN
December 21, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The most efficient way of
understanding Turkey’s position on Armenian-Turkish relations
is working with that country’s media. Turkologist Artak Shakarian
expressed such an opinion at a December 21 press conference commenting
upon the results of Turkish journalists’ December 15 visit to Yerevan.

According to him, so far Armenian journalists have been receiving
information about Turkey and Turkish journalists about Armenia from
Russian-language media, and there was much lack of interviews and
analyses. As A. Shakarian emphasized, Turkish journalists’ visit
to Armenia gave a possibility to some extent to fill up that gap:
the guests interviewed Armenian officials, exchanged opinions with
their Armenian colleagues.

Besides, according to A. Shakarian, thanks to that visit Armenia
understood that linking the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations proceeds from Turkey’s
home political situation. And Turks, in his opinion, understood that
if they delay ratification of the protocols they will appear in a
very complicated situation.

A. Shakarian said that the Turkish journalists also visited the
Institute-Museum of Armenian Genocide. In his words, it is noteworthy
that they sincerely tried to understand the truth, asked many
questions to the museum deputy director. "They did not have the wish
of attacking, the aggression the Azeris have," A. Shakarian mentioned.

He also said that before that visit "Turks used to imagine Armenia
as a weak, poor, beggar country isolated from the world." Coming to
Yerevan they were surprised to see fine hotels and cars here, they
were surprised that Armenian journalists spoke to them in English," A.
Shakarian said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress