Artak Shakaryan: The namaz to be organized by Turkish nationalists in Ani Mother Temple is nothing but a PR action

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS: The namaz to be organized by Turkish nationalists in Ani Mother Temple is nothing but a PR action, Artak Shakaryan, specialist in Turkologist told Armenpress, adding that on the eve of parliamentary elections in Turkey in 2011 the Turkish nationalists are trying to get dividends.

“With this step the Nationalist party headed by Devlet Bahceli is trying to show that they are preservers of real ideas of Turkish nation,” he said, adding that in parallel with it they discredit the authorities labeling them as traitors, explaining it that “see you allow Armenians to conduct liturgy in Surb Khach thus we have right to do namaz in Ani Temple.”

Artak Shakaryan said that this issue is not being widely discussed in Turkey as it is being done in Armenia and it is understandable as “they are going to do it in our Ani, in our Mother Temple.”

The Turkologyst also noted that this action may also be addressed to a target electorate, for instance to the population of Kars, as Kars is traditionally considered one of the centers of Turkish nationalism.