March 31, 2010 - 14:54 AMT
Artak Shakaryan: Turkey seeks a convenient leader for Armenian community

Turkish Prime Minster needed to restore his image after the shameful interview to BBC, an Armenian expert said.

“The meeting with head of the Armenian community Bedros Sirinoglu was a PR action, which, by the way, arouse discontent of the community,” Artak Shakaryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

“The events of 1915 generated a conflict between our nations, which had lived in peace before. We should forget this conflict and look into the future. The Armenian President is of a similar opinion,” TRT quoted Sirinoglu as saying on March 26.

“Turkey seeks a convenient leader for Armenian community, which already feels hostage to the government. Ankara wants to secure itself against appearance of a new Hrant Dink,” Mr. Shakaryan noted

Asked by a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter to comment on the forthcoming election of co-Patriarch of Constantinople, the expert said that the Armenian community has split, some supporting Patriarchal Locum Tenens Aram Ateshyan, the others speaking out for AAC Gugark Diocese head Sepuh Chuljyan.