YEREVAN. – The Istanbul Armenians’ participation in the ongoing resistance in the city’s Gezi Park is not a fight for national identity.  

Turkologist Andranik Ispiryan stated the abovementioned during a pres conference on Saturday.

According to him, there is no problem when Istanbul Armenians, as the citizens of Turkey, raise their voices in favor of preserving the park. But putting an emphasis on national identity is perilous during these protests.   

“Such phenomenon may be dangerous from the point of view that the Turkish nationalist circles could make Armenians a target and accuse them of instigation,” the turkologist noted, and added that Gezi Park is not a struggle of the Armenians.   

Reflecting on the “[Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev, it’s your turn!” slogans that were made in Istanbul, Ispiryan stated that such slogans cannot have a significant impact on Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, since there are no representatives of the authorities among the demonstrators.