"Turkish society has formed a rather negative image of Armenians, and the problem has very deep roots. Turkish society's negative attitude to Armenians is worsened by official ideology and relevant school curricula,' Turkish studies expert Ruben Melkonyan, lecturer at YSU Turkology chair, told today a news conference.

Answering journalists' question as to what steps Turkey's Armenian community makes to improve the situation, the speaker noted that Turkish-Armenians did not make any steps to improve the distorted image of Armenians, despite being good citizens of that country.

Any Turkish-Armenian taking a tough stance will first of all become a target for Turkish society and state system, Melkonyan said, referring to "Agos" daily's Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink's assassination by a Turkish nationalist on January 19, 2007.

The Armenian community in Turkey is in a grave condition and fears to raise the issue of its national identity, the expert said. "That's because primate of Armenian Apostolic Church in Constantinople is seriously ill, and Archbishop Aram Ateshyan who replaces him lacks enough charisma to unite Turkish-Armenians," Melkonyan said.