CLINTON’S REMARKS ON HISTORY COMMISSION ANNOY YEREVAN

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 25 2010

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks envisioning the
creation of a historical commission between Ankara and Yerevan,
as described in normalization protocols signed by the two capitals,
were received with disappointment by the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

In an interview with a Russian television channel that aired last week,
Clinton reiterated her support for the Turkish-Armenian agreement to
create the commission of historians.

"They’re working to create it," Clinton replied when asked whether
that commission existed currently.

Soon after the transcript of the interview was posted on the State
Department’s Web site, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tigran
Balayan said on Tuesday that the creation of a intergovernmental
commission cannot happen without the ratification of the protocols
by the parliaments of Turkey and Armenia.

"Not until the protocols are ratified will steps envisioning the
normalization of relations and opening of the Armenia-Turkey border
be taken," Balayan was quoted as saying in a statement to Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty Armenia service.

Adding that the Armenian genocide issue was not a matter of discussion,
he said: "As has been said on numerous occasions by the country’s
president and foreign minister, the veracity of the genocide is not
a topic of discussion. Armenia hasn’t discussed it, nor will discuss
the veracity of the genocide."

One of the two protocols signed by Ankara and Yerevan in October
says the two countries have agreed to "implement a dialogue on the
historical dimension with the aim of restoring mutual confidence
between the two nations, including an impartial scientific examination
of historical records and archives to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations."