“I’m sure that not an easy year expects to Turkey, unless, of course, they sober up”, so responded the Coordinator of Board of Trustees of Armenia Youth Foundation (AYF), NA RPA faction MP Karen Avagyan, during the torchlight procession to the Genocide Memorial, answering the question of Aravot.am of whether Armenia is sufficiently prepared for the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide. Note that on the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, AYF had also joined the Torchlight procession organized by the Armenian Youth Union of ARF and the “Nicole Aghbalyan” Student Union, calling the youth organizations to join this initiative.
Referring to preparatory work ahead to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Mr. Avagyan said, “Tomorrow begins the year of 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and a few days ago the RA authorities publicly presented that they are seriously getting prepared to this anniversary not only in terms of having a respect for it, but also politically.” The RPA MP thanked all the countries that have recognized the Armenian Genocide and expressed the hope that others will follow this example and will make Turkey face the truth. Karen Avagyan also reminded about the Armenian-Turkish protocols and noted, “Armenia has proved to be so strong that despite the terrible memory of history, four and a half years ago, it suggested Turkey to establish normal interstate relations: the Armenian-Turkish protocols were signed. However, Turkey fully showed that it is not the political type to be consistent with the 21st century, and in the course of these years, it proved the whole world with its numerous preconditions and illogical promises where the real problems in Armenia-Turkish relations are. Even the most suspicious people very well understood and seen all of it.”
To the observation of Aravot.am that the ARF representatives have serious reservations about the Armenian-Turkish protocols, particularly claiming that they have not given anything good to Armenia, on the contrary, they hinder the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, are additional leverage in the hands of Turkey, Karen Avagyan responded as follows, “The President of Armenia has made a clear answer to that question at the Ministry of Defense. As for my opinion, I do not think that these protocols have hindered us in anywhere towards the recognition of the Genocide, and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
