Kurds repeatedly raised Genocide issue at Turkish parliament – expert

PanARMENIAN.Net - After parliamentary elections in Turkey, Kurds have repeatedly raised the Armenian Genocide issue, according to a Turkologist.

“Kurds are using the Genocide issue to strike a blow at Turkey’s opposition and pro-governmental forces,” Artak Shakaryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

“Given the circumstances above, Kurds can be viewed as temporary or long-term allies in Armenia,” the expert noted.

According to Shakaryan, the U.S. Congress-adopted H.Res.306, calling upon Turkey to return the Christian church properties, delivered a strong blow to Turkey, with Washington meaning to give Ankara the taste of leverages it will use, should Turkey refuse to cooperate.

On August 28, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on the return of Christian and Jewish religious property confiscated after the 1930s. The properties involved include hospitals, orphanage and school buildings, burial grounds.

Erdogan’s decision was announced a few weeks after the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the amendment on the “Return of Christian Churches” with a vote of 43 to 1 (H.Res.306). In March of the current year a similar resolution was adopted under the pressure of the Greek lobby (H.Res.180).