Serzh Sargsyan: ‘Our political goals about normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations still hold good’

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS: ‘I have mentioned many times that the fact of the Genocide cannot be argued. Issues on eliminating the consequences of the Genocide may be discussed, and not the fact. The history of this monstrous crime is deeply studied and documented, so there is no need to discuss the goals and mechanisms of the crime committed by the authorities of Ottoman Turkey,’ RA President Serzh Sargsyan stated in his April 23 interview to the Russian ‘Novosti’ news agency.

The President says the Turkish Prime Minister did suggest to establish ad hoc committee of historians, which would be engaged in discussing the issue of the Genocide and that the conclusions of the committee would define the prospects of the Armenian-Turkish relations. ‘At that time it was quite clear that the relations would not be normalized until the committee came to a conclusion advantageous to Turkey. Refusal of Armenia was quite natural: establishing normal relations between the two states is the only normal way, but if Armenia does not demand the recognition of the Genocide as a precondition, Turkey does not have the right to demand denying the Genocide as a precondition,’ the President mentioned.

In answer to the question about the operation of such a committee under the circumstances that using the term of ‘Genocide’ implies criminal liability in Turkey ‘for dishonoring the dignity of the Turkish nation’, the President said that the issue of the committee is already in the past. ‘In the protocols, we signed October, 2009, establishing an interstate committee (we have a number of such committees with many countries) was intended as well. Maybe one of the subcommittees would examine ‘historical issues’, but this could not imply discussion of the fact of the Genocide.

It should be noted that it is an interstate subcommittee, which can be established only after establishing diplomatic relations, and not a commission of experts, who would design the prospects of such relations,’ he said. ‘We did not close the door; however we will not undertake further measures. We will reconsider the possibilities of the advancement only in case we are sure the corresponding atmosphere exists in Turkey, in case we see that the Turkish authorities are willing to normalize the relations.

Armenia will not recall the signatures of the protocols, as we want to preserve the possibilities of normalizing the relations, as we want peace. Our political goals about the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations still hold good,’ the President said.