November 13, 2012 - 15:20 AMT
Expert says Genocide recognition expired program

Re-elected U.S. President Barack Obama will avoid pronouncing the word “genocide” in his Armenian Genocide 100th anniversary address, former ambassador of Armenia to Canada and head of Modus Vivendi center said.

Ara Papian labelled Armenians’ expectations for Obama’s uttering the word “genocide” as a disease transmissible from Diaspora.

“I don’t see any point in it. The U.S. was the first country in the world to address the UN with a written statement in 1951, describing the mass killings against Armenians as Genocide, the term that was later repeated by President Ronald Reagan,” he said, slamming the vision that the U.S. recognition of Armenian Genocide will press for Turkish compensation.

The expert further noted Genocide recognition meaningful only in the context of possible reimbursement.

“Genocide recognition is an expired program if it’s not bound with compensation demands,” he said.