EUROPEAN COMMUNITY BEGINS TO PERCEIVE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AS PART OF
ITS HISTORY, RUBEN SAFRASTIAN SAYS
YEREVAN, JULY 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The aggressive actions
in Turkey against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II are the
reflection of radical moods among certain circles in Turkey. Ruben
Safrastian, Head of the Turkey Department of RA National Academy of
Sciences Oriental Studies Institute, declared at the July 7 discussion
at the Hayeli (Mirror) club dedicated to Armenian-Turkish relations.
According to him, the institution of the criminal case against the
Catholicos is an action contradicting all international norms.
As for the topicality of the issue of recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by Turkey, the scientist said that this issue is one of the
most important ones in the self-identification of Armenians. "Unless
we raise the question of the Genocide, this means we go against our
self-identification," Ruben Safrastian said. At the same time, he
emphasized that the most important issue in the Armenian-Turkish
relations is the Karabakh problem and Turkey’s attitude to
it. Unfortunately, according to him, in the U.S., as well as in Turkey
they do not separate normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations from
the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. R.Safrastian said thay the Armenian
diplomacy should achieve differentiation of these two issues.
Safrastian expressed doubt that normalization of relations can be
achieved in case of bilateral Armenian-Turkish negotiations. "History
shows that Turkey seeing only Armenia in front of it starts exerting
pressure upon it. Armenia should come up in this issue as a country
having allies and, proceeding from Turkey’s striving for joining
EU, should choose Europe as its ally," the scientist declared. He
mentioned that the European community started to perceive this fact
as part of its history and many public circles in Europe are perplexed
why Turkey does not recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Another participant of the discussion, Hrant Khachatrian, Chairman
of the Constitutional Law Union, also pointed to the great role
of the issue of Nagorno Karabakh settlement in the spectrum of
Armenian-Turkish relations. In his opinion, Europe should not admit
Turkey to EU, as this country is not democratic.