Thursday, April 30 2015 13:13

 

Mr. Rustamyan, April 24 is behind and part of the events commemorating the Armenian Genocide Centennial is over. Could you please sum up the preliminary results of the events? Did we manage to bring our message to the world?

 

Events timed to the Armenian Genocide Centennial have ensured an unprecedented coverage by the world media. From now on, the Armenian Genocide is an issue on the international agenda. Everyone has realized that it is “a special” crime that requires a special approach.  In addition, the emphasis was put also on the necessary to condemn the denial of that crime, as denial generates new genocides. Along with the Armenian Genocide issues, the centennial events raised also other crimes against humanity. All this along with the national consolidation has ensured an unprecedented international coverage of the Armenian Genocide issue.  

 

The process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide has intensified recently. Many countries and organizations have passed resolutions condemning and recognizing that crime against humanity. What is the reason of such high response to the issue? Is it connected with the activity of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, the Armenian lobby abroad or the campaign timed to the Centenary of the Genocide?

 

- The process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide has intensified, first of all, due to Turkey’s outdated policy, which showed the world how much different are its views from the views of the civilized world. Judging from Turkey’s inadequate steps, the world community has realized that this issue can no longer be left just on the agenda of the Armenian-Turkish relations. The civilized world has realized the need for combined efforts to make Turkey face its own history and refuse from its denial policy.  In this light, I would like to spotlight the statement by Pope Francis that has become crucial in the process of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. 

 

Mr. Rustamyan, what will the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by various countries and international organizations give the Armenian people and Armenia as a state, except “moral victory?”

 

- It is not only a matter of morality. Recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is of great importance, as it will help prevent such crimes in future, stop the wave of violence and terror that has hit the Middle East. What the Islamic State is doing in the Middle East now resembles the actions of the Young Turks against the national minorities living in the territory of the Ottoman Turkey in early 20^th century.

 

Some experts and political figures believe that after the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the country should stop the efforts towards international recognition of that crime and arm with a new strategy and start demanding reparations. What do you think about it?

  

- I’d like to say that the recognition of Genocide and reparations are links of the same chain. These two processes cannot be separated. This is the logic of justice: every crime must be punished.

 

What mechanisms should be used to achieve reparations?

 

- The key mechanism is the international recognition of that crime to bring the issue to the legal agenda. The idea “genocide” already implies legal consequences.  Realizing this, Turkey tries its best to avoid qualifying the massacres of the early 20-th century in its territory as “genocide” and seeks to shift the issue from the political and legal field to the historical one.  That is why, Ankara insists on setting up a committee of historians.  Turkey’s arguments are vulnerable to criticism.  Ankara tries to present the events on the early 20^th century as a result of the World War I.  This logic suggests that Germany and the world should have not recognized even the Holocaust, which happened during the WWII. Secondly, Turkey insists on setting up a committee of historians and threatens to open its archives. If their archives contain any documents that confirm Ankara’s statements denying the fact of Genocide, so why hasn’t Turkey opened its archives till now.  Meanwhile, Armenia and the world community hold so many documents confirming the fact of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire that no committee of historians is needed.

 

What do you think of President Serzh Sargsyan’s latest statement suggesting that Yerevan has never made any territorial claims to Ankara?

 

- It must be considered as a diplomatic statement.

 

Don’t you fear that such statements by the Armenian leadership may become a subject for speculation for Ankara?

 

- Such statements cannot have any importance if the Genocide is recognized. As I have mentioned already, the recognition of the crime from the legal point of view implies reparations. No power can assume the right of the generations to reparations.

 

Will Ankara recognize the Genocide realizing that recognition will lead to reparations?

Will it happen under the new authorities of Turkey or new geopolitical processes?

 

- In this light, there are some factors that inspire with optimism. I am speaking about activation of the international recognition of the Genocide and some changes in the public sentiments in Turkey regarding the given issue. The people of Turkey cannot live long “under the burden” of the entire nation’s blood.  Every coming generation of Turks realizes this fact more and more acutely. They do not want to be a complicit in the crime committee 100 years ago. 

 

For conclusion, would you comment on Ankara’s actions in response to the latest developments around the Genocide issue?

 

- Ankara’s actions in response to the Genocide Centennial processes can be called inadequate and silly. The world is laughing at the latest actions of Turkey. Ankara must realize that it cannot run contrary to the civilized world long.