Being and remaining Armenian is essential and pivotal for Turkish Armenians: Ara Gochunyan

YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Diaspora, the existing situation there has always been in the center of the attention of Armenia. Armenian community in Turkey in the absence of Armenian-Turkish relations however remains the most vulnerable segments of Diaspora.

Armenpress had an interview withIstanbul based Armenian “Time’’ newspaper’s editor-in-chief Ara Gochunyan on Turkish Armenian community current issues and the efforts made to their solutions.

-Currently what measures are taken for the protection of Armenian identity?

-The protection of Armenian identity in Turkish Armenian community in one hand is ordinary in the other hand an unusual phenomena. A large number of national structure networks are operating in Istanbul, which play an essential role in the preservation of Armenian community. The matter does not go mainly on the churches. Surely the belief towards the Apostolic church is an inseparable part of our identity, yet the church cannot play the role of an administrative structure. In this matter the schools under the patronage of these churches have an important impact.

-On the threshold of 100 th anniversary of Armenian Genocide what kind of preparations are underway?

- During the recent years people in Turkey have started to express their respect towards the memories of the victims in the central square of Istanbul and other cities of Turkey. Those who pursue the issue of Armenian Genocide recognition understand they have a great deal of work to do. Our aim is as follows, regardless the initiative is taken either by Armenian or Turkish side, the solution to the problem must be fair.