April 24, 2012 - 12:37 AMT
Politician: Armenia must pursue international recognition of Genocide

If Turkey wants zero problems with its neighbors, it should make some moves, and not nullify its chances for rapprochement, vice-speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly said.

As Eduard Sharmazanov told journalists at Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, Armenia must first of all “pursue the process of Genocide recognition because its international acknowledgment can prevent further genocides elsewhere.”

“Denial [of genocide] is equal to committing a genocide. Over 2000 cultural monuments have been destroyed and are still being destroyed in Turkey’s territory nowadays. This is yet another genocide,” the official stated.

“While Turkey does not recognize the Armenian Genocide, the European Union faces the threat of a potential member that follows the traditions of the Young Turks and the Ottoman Empire,” he added.

As to the Armenian-Turkish protocols, Armenia will not move until Turkey makes efforts in this direction, Sharmazanov concluded.