'sooner Or Later The Us Will Recognize The Ag

[MosJan]

'SOONER OR LATER THE US WILL RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE'

 

Abdullah Gul, Turkish foreign minister, said during the meeting with his Swiss counterpart, Micheline Calmy Rey, that the accusations of the genocide are unacceptable statements made by the representatives of the Armenian Diaspora that try to spoil Turkey’s relations with other countries.

 

Gul meant the EU states and the US. It is known that the EU countries demand from Turkey to take steps for recognition of the Armenian Genocide to get EU membership. As for the US it expresses readiness to recognize the genocide. Paul Wolfowitz, the US secretary for defense, touched upon the readiness of America to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

 

On March 31 Turkish Miliet published the interview of Ross Vartian, chairman of the Armenian Assembly of America, where he touched upon the steps taken by their Assembly and the members of the Armenian–American Friendship group at the House of Representatives at the US Congress. The interview was given in Washington to the correspondent of Miliet Yasemin Congar.

 

In response to the question about the new formula of the genocide’s recognition, Mr. Vartian emphasized its similarity with the formula that was excluded from the agenda of the House of Representatives on October 19, 2000 by the instruction of Bill Clinton. He said that the formula will be submitted to the US Congress on April 20. Vartian added that the new formula will be published at Conference of "90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide." The conference will be held by the American Armenian Organizations, the US embassy to Armenia and the Armenian-American friendship group at the House of Representatives at the US Congress.

 

Vartian touched upon the Turkish-Armenian contradictions and pointed out the notorious article by Robert Pollock. He said that sooner or later the US will do what other states did in the issue of the Armenian Genocide, adding that "France recognized the Genocide but that didn’t spoil the Turkish-French relations at all."

 

He found the suggestion of the Turkish officials to discuss the issues of the genocide, explaining that with the fact that the historians had done it long ago and come to certain conclusion. As for the correspondent’s question about statement Vigen Chitechian’s, RA ambassador to CE, statement, Vartian said: "Let him ask about that from Yerevan. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is one of the primary issues of Armenia’s foreign policy. Every year on April 24 over 1 million of people visit the Monument to the Armenian Genocide. We, the Armenian Diaspora, do not feel hostility against the Turks."

 

In response to the questions concerning Turkey’s territorial integrity, the Armenian-Turkish relations, Vartian didn’t exclude that the recognition may cause certain consequences for Turkey. "But the consequences of the recognition doesn’t concern Diaspora. This is up to Yerevan and Ankara to decide. As for the territorial claims, the Armenian authorities have unilaterally stated about respecting the territorial integrity of Turkey. Armenia and Turkey should be able to discuss all the existing issues. It is necessary to open the border. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide can be no precondition for the improvement of the relations between Yerevan and Ankara. The recognition of the Genocide will take place when the Turkish people want that and when they make the Turkish government do that. The external pressure will yield no results. Turkey is gradually changing, questioning the history, otherwise Orhan Pamuk would not be able to publicly speak about the massacre of 1 million 500 thousand of Armenians," Vartian underscored.

 

By Hakob Chakrian