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Davutoglu sought to mitigate pressure ahead of Genocide centennial
15:36 - 14.12.13
With his recent visit to Yerevan, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu sought, first of all, to mitigate the pressures against his
country in the run-up to the Armenian genocide centennial, says a
historian.
`Besides, this was an appeal to the world community that by
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, they would disrupt [the
normalization of] Armenia-Turkey relations. It was also a message to
the West that Turkey is not going to relax its influence here,' Gevorg
Melkonyan, a history professor at the Yerevan State University, told a
news conference on Saturday.
The expert said that the visit was a kind of response to Russian
President Vladimir Putin, who declared, in the course of his last
week's visit to Armenia, that his country is not going to withdraw
from the South Caucasus region.
Commenting on Davutoglu's statement regarding the Armenian Genocide,
Melkonyan particularly focused on his words, saying that
`Turkish-Armenian relations do not date back like German-Jewish ties'.
`Yes, they are absolutely different from one another, hence an apology
by Turkey is not enough,' the historian added.
As for the Turkish official's characterization of the crime as an
inhumane act, Melkonyan noted that he didn't use the word Genocide in
his statement. `He didn't say he considers that a Genocide or
massacre. This is a tricky policy which means Turkey is unwilling to
admit that massacres have taken place,' Melkonyan added.
He said further that he wished the protest in Yerevan had attracted a
thicker crowd on the day of Davutoglu's visit. `I cannot say why
others didn't attend, but I hail the ARF-D's initiative,' said the
historian.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/12/14/gevorg-melqonyan/
From: A. Papazian
15:36 - 14.12.13
With his recent visit to Yerevan, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu sought, first of all, to mitigate the pressures against his
country in the run-up to the Armenian genocide centennial, says a
historian.
`Besides, this was an appeal to the world community that by
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, they would disrupt [the
normalization of] Armenia-Turkey relations. It was also a message to
the West that Turkey is not going to relax its influence here,' Gevorg
Melkonyan, a history professor at the Yerevan State University, told a
news conference on Saturday.
The expert said that the visit was a kind of response to Russian
President Vladimir Putin, who declared, in the course of his last
week's visit to Armenia, that his country is not going to withdraw
from the South Caucasus region.
Commenting on Davutoglu's statement regarding the Armenian Genocide,
Melkonyan particularly focused on his words, saying that
`Turkish-Armenian relations do not date back like German-Jewish ties'.
`Yes, they are absolutely different from one another, hence an apology
by Turkey is not enough,' the historian added.
As for the Turkish official's characterization of the crime as an
inhumane act, Melkonyan noted that he didn't use the word Genocide in
his statement. `He didn't say he considers that a Genocide or
massacre. This is a tricky policy which means Turkey is unwilling to
admit that massacres have taken place,' Melkonyan added.
He said further that he wished the protest in Yerevan had attracted a
thicker crowd on the day of Davutoglu's visit. `I cannot say why
others didn't attend, but I hail the ARF-D's initiative,' said the
historian.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/12/14/gevorg-melqonyan/
From: A. Papazian