June 18, 2010 - 14:23 AMT
Genocide recognition has nothing to do with Turkish-Israeli dispute, Armenian expert says

Israel will try to frighten Turkey with possible recognition of the Armenian Genocide, according to Turkologist Artak Shakaryan.

Asked by a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter whether Israel can really recognize the Genocide, he said, “Tel Aviv believes to have ‘exclusive right’ for the Holocaust and doesn’t recognize any other genocide.”

“Possibly Knesset will pass a bill recognizing Turkish atrocities as a crime against humanity but it will not recognize them as Genocide,” he said during a joint news conference with another Turkologist, Hakob Chakryan.

For his part, Chakryan said that the issue of Genocide recognition has nothing to do with the Turkish-Israeli dispute.

“Turkey is just trying to strengthen positions in the Arab world,” he said. “Armenia should not pin hopes on Genocide recognition by Knesset.”