YEREVAN. – Certain tactical changes have occurred in Turkey’s policy toward Armenian Genocide recognition. Turkey attempts to portray itself to the world community as a country that is ready for dialogue, thus attempting to prevent the genocide’s international recognition.

Historian Arsen Avagyan told the above-said to Armenian News-NEWS.am. 

In his view, the situation in Turkey has changed over the past twenty years. The Armenian Genocide issue is discussed more frequently and openly, and it is no longer a taboo in the country.

“But we should not forget that the majority of Turkish society is conservative and nationalist. As such, the genocide’s recognition is difficult, since the Armenian Genocide is linked not solely to the massacres of the Greeks and the Assyrians, but to the foundation of [modern-day] Turkey, the nationalist struggle of this country,” Avagyan noted. 

In the historian’s words, Turkey FM Ahmet Davutoglu states that he is not an FM who does not recognize the genocide.

“[But] he calls the Armenian Genocide a mere tragedy, which is not recognition. In my opinion, this likewise is a long-term objective of sidetracking the world community from the problems; that is, to announce that there is a process of reconciliation with [Turkey’s] own history, and the Armenian Genocide’s international recognition will hinder this process,” Arsen Avagyan stressed.

As per the historian, this is a more perilous policy than the simple denial of the Armenian Genocide.