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YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian issue has “stopped in the throat of the Turkish state”. This opinion was expressed by political analyst Levon Shirinya in conversation with Armenpress. He said Turkey’s policy in Armenian issue is like a huge iceberg – the visible part is quite small and what is under water is huge.
Referring to the re-opening of St Kirakos Church of Tigranakert (current Diarbekir), the political analyst said that this issue may have several backgrounds. “In case of Akhtamar the issue is quite simple: Turkey does it for its own economic interest,” Shirinyan said, explaining that in case of inflow of tourists Turks hope to improve the economic condition in Western Armenia and lay ground for inflow of Turkish population as this region is mainly inhabited by Kurds. “The second explanation is that the so-called merins inhabited in the Tigranakert region who in reality are Kurdishized Armenians show that they have preserved the germs of their self-consciousness and do not want fully lose their Armenian cultural heritage,” Shirinyan said.
The political analyst said now the main issue of Turkey is entering the European Union to get utmost economic uses and that is why it has adopted “policy of formalities” and the issue of St. Kirakos must be viewed in this logic.