Tweet
Erdogan not likely to visit Armenia in 2015 - opinions
17:50 * 29.08.14
The chances that Turkey's new president will visit Yerevan next year
to participate in the Genocide centennial commemoration events are
very low given his nationalistic image, an Armenian Turkologist has
said, commenting on Serzh Sargsyan's invitation to Recep Tayyip
Erdogan.
"In the meantime, considering the team of professionals - image-makers
and advisors, including [Prime Minister Ahmet] Davutoglu - I think the
Turkish side will react in a certain way and take a counteraction in
response to the Armenian side's steps," Ruben Melkonyan, a deputy dean
at the Yerevan State University's Oriental Studies Department, told
Tert.am, adding that he expects Turkey's reaction to be limited only
to commemoration events inside the country.
"It is quite possible that Erdogan will make semi-hypocritical
condolence addresses and later visit a [commemoration] event. But he
will do that not at his own will but upon his team's recommendation."
Asked whether he doesn't expect Turkey to nonetheless join the
commemorations in Yerevan on the level of another government official,
Melkonyan said he thinks that it will depend on the political
situation. He said any possible decision to send a lower-ranking
representative to the country in 2015 would be an attempt by Turkey to
turn the situation to its advantage by creating the image of a
tolerant and civilized state. "And we can make no doubt that such a
visit - if it takes place at all - will be accompanied by statements
counteracting the truth in an attempt to draw parallels between the
Armenian Genocide and the losses suffered by Turkey," he noted.
Commenting on the issue, Turkologist Hakob Chakryan also ruled out the
possibility of Erdogan's visit to Armenia in 2015. "For Erdogan to
visit Armenia, Turkey has to first of all abandon its policies of
Genocide denial. The Turkish parliament has to accept the fact of
Genocide, and president has to give his approval to it. Without that,
Turkey will not decide on any visit to Armenia," he said.
Asked whether he thinks that Turkey's foreign minister or any other
cabinet member may respond to the official invitation, Chakryan
repeated his statement that no Turkish official is likely to ever
visit Armenia unless that country changes its stance on the Genocide
issue.
"Many journalists may come to check how the centennial events are
being held, but no official representative will be present. A
mayor's [visit] may the maximum," he added.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/08/29/erdoghan/
17:50 * 29.08.14
The chances that Turkey's new president will visit Yerevan next year
to participate in the Genocide centennial commemoration events are
very low given his nationalistic image, an Armenian Turkologist has
said, commenting on Serzh Sargsyan's invitation to Recep Tayyip
Erdogan.
"In the meantime, considering the team of professionals - image-makers
and advisors, including [Prime Minister Ahmet] Davutoglu - I think the
Turkish side will react in a certain way and take a counteraction in
response to the Armenian side's steps," Ruben Melkonyan, a deputy dean
at the Yerevan State University's Oriental Studies Department, told
Tert.am, adding that he expects Turkey's reaction to be limited only
to commemoration events inside the country.
"It is quite possible that Erdogan will make semi-hypocritical
condolence addresses and later visit a [commemoration] event. But he
will do that not at his own will but upon his team's recommendation."
Asked whether he doesn't expect Turkey to nonetheless join the
commemorations in Yerevan on the level of another government official,
Melkonyan said he thinks that it will depend on the political
situation. He said any possible decision to send a lower-ranking
representative to the country in 2015 would be an attempt by Turkey to
turn the situation to its advantage by creating the image of a
tolerant and civilized state. "And we can make no doubt that such a
visit - if it takes place at all - will be accompanied by statements
counteracting the truth in an attempt to draw parallels between the
Armenian Genocide and the losses suffered by Turkey," he noted.
Commenting on the issue, Turkologist Hakob Chakryan also ruled out the
possibility of Erdogan's visit to Armenia in 2015. "For Erdogan to
visit Armenia, Turkey has to first of all abandon its policies of
Genocide denial. The Turkish parliament has to accept the fact of
Genocide, and president has to give his approval to it. Without that,
Turkey will not decide on any visit to Armenia," he said.
Asked whether he thinks that Turkey's foreign minister or any other
cabinet member may respond to the official invitation, Chakryan
repeated his statement that no Turkish official is likely to ever
visit Armenia unless that country changes its stance on the Genocide
issue.
"Many journalists may come to check how the centennial events are
being held, but no official representative will be present. A
mayor's [visit] may the maximum," he added.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/08/29/erdoghan/