WASHINGTON. – A new discussion on the 1915 events is necessary for the Turkish Society, Turkish political scientist Omer Taspinar said in an interview with Voice of America. According to him, the Turks will enter into open dispute with Armenia and its people when Turkey overcomes its current notion that all, who live in Turkey, are Turks.

Besides, modern Turkey’s population should realize that the project of broad assimilation failed and Turkey does have minority, while its acknowledgement does not necessarily mean encouraging separation.

Speaking about the reluctance of the Turkish establishment for calling the 1915 events the Armenian Genocide, the expert said that fear plays major role in this case.

“Many fear that recognition of the Genocide will be the first step, followed by a flurry of claims both economic and territorial,” he concluded.

The world commemorates on April 24 the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century.

Commemoration actions are held in all states, people remember this monstrous crime against humanity as over one and a half million innocent Armenians were massacred in the Ottoman Empire, while hundreds of thousands were tortured and deported.

The fact of the Armenian Genocide is recognized by many states. It was first recognized in 1965 by Uruguay. In general, the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey has already been recognized by Russia, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, and 42 U.S. states.