“Armenian-Turkish relations today are not about 1915, but 2020,” Sergey Markedonov, the lead researcher at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and editor-in-chief of the International Analysis magazine, said during an online discussion in the “Let’s Talk About the Future” series co-sponsored by Futures Studio journalist and author Mark Grigoryan.
In his opinion, Armenian-Turkish relations have undergone a rather interesting evolution. He explained, “During the collapse of the USSR, their relations were connected with the past. There was an idea that the Turkish state committed a tragedy, but during the Soviet era, it did not seem to have much effect. That is how it was perceived. Turkey was considered a neighbor of the USSR. The so-called Soviet Union closed the Armenian one. Therefore, Armenian-Turkish relations were more historical. Now, they have become geopolitical, and critical issues have been added to the historical memory.”
Referring to statements about how modern Armenia and Turkey are different, Sergey Makedonov said that nonetheless, there are reasons for hostility, and he added, “The question is different when you respond to a century-old tragedy and when you respond to a months-old one.”
Tatev Harutyunyan
