YEREVAN. – With its proposal to form a subcommittee of historians, Turkey is attempting to delay resolution of the matter, so that the parliament of any other country would not express its view on the Armenian Genocide, turkologist Artak Shakaryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Turkey has no right to make such proposal because, prior to proposing a committee, it should at least provide its historians the right to freedom of speech. No Turkish historian, even if he finds that genocide had taken place, can express that aloud,” the historian stated, adding “[Turkish historian] Taner Akcam is compelled to live in the United States, and he was allowed entrance [into Turkey] only recently.” 

According to Shakaryan, in general, this proposal is unequivocally directed at delaying the issue, so that “the parliament of another country would not express its view on the [Armenian] Genocide, so they (Turkey) may say, ‘we are discussing the matter with the Armenians, and don’t obstruct.’”     

In the analyst’s view, resolution of the matter cannot be brought to a deadline. “Even if Turkish historians begin to become convinced that genocide had occurred, they could change their opinion at the last moment,” Artak Shakaryan concluded.