`It is high time Turkey recognized Armenian Genocide’

lyudmila-harutyunyan
02:33 pm | March 05, 2010 | Politics

"With its decision to adopt Resolution 252, U.S. House Committee on
Foreign Affairs was able to put aside political interests and be
guided by human values," says Lyudmila Harutyunyan, member of the
European Committee of Social Rights and Professor of the Chair of
Sociology at Yerevan State University (YSU).

"Turkey is gradually beginning to realize that it is time to recognize
the Armenian Genocide," she added.

Mrs. Harutyunyan is sure that in his yesterday’s speech Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s was speaking about the necessity of democracy
and she believes Turkey will finally take the path of democracy.

Asked whether Erdogan is not playing a double game by raising the
issue of democracy on the one hand and threatening the USA not to
spoil Turkish-American relations on the other hand, Mrs. Harutyunyan
said: "Armenians had better establish democracy in Armenia instead of
criticizing Turkey’s demeanour."

Lyudmila Harutyunyan is ready to forgive Turks if they recognize the
Armenian Genocide and apologize to Armenians "since one cannot
normalize relations neglecting "collective memory."

Her opponent, historian and researcher Samvel Karapetyan says he will
never forgive Turks even if they recognize the Genocide.