April 19, 2010 - 16:07 AMT
Suren Manukyan: Genocide to remain subject of political haggle

Deputy Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute, historian Suren Manukyan said that the process of the Armenian Genocide recognition is entirely irrelevant of the Armenian-Turkish normalization.

“The Armenian Genocide is not only our problem, it is a problem of the entire humanity,” Mr. Manukyan told a press conference in Yerevan, adding that the Genocide will always remain a subject of political speculations. “Even if we announce that we quit raising the issue one day, it will anyway remain on the international agenda.”

Referring to Turkey’s contribution, he said that time has come for Armenia to prepare and submit a suit to the international court. “In my opinion, such suit will stand a better chance this time,” Mr. Manukyan noted.

At the same time he noted that the possibility of establishing an international criminal court on genocide issues like those in Hague, Cambodia or Rwanda has been discussed in Armenia for many years. According to him, this issue requires a political decision.