YEREVAN. – Two of Turkey’s three expectations from French President François Hollande’s visit to the country were not met.  

Armenian turkologist Andranik Ispiryan stated the aforesaid at a press conference on Thursday. 

In his words, Turkey had three expectations from Hollande’s visit: lessening of the tension in Turkish-French relations; some concessions in the Armenian Genocide issue; and softening of the French position on Turkey’s bid for EU membership.   

“Turkey’s expectations were not met in at least two points. Hollande showed that he is not going to concessions with regard to the issue of the Armenian Genocide, and in Turkey’s bid for EU membership,” Ispiryan noted.

The turkologist stressed that the French President said in Turkey what was expected in France. 

“Hollande’s statement was important, since it will restrain Turkey’s denialist rhetoric following the notorious European Court of Human Rights [ECtHR] judgment on the case of [Armenian Genocide-denying Turkish politician Dogu] Perincek,” the Turkologist added.    

Ispiryan also drew attention to the fact that Hollande spoke on two occasions in Turkey—and in the presence of the Turkish president—about the need to pass the French bill on criminalizing genocide denial, and he stressed that this fact can be considered a French slap to Turkey. 

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am