YEREVAN. – Turks sometime go as far as considering being an Armenian as an insult, which is merely an intolerant and racist behaviour, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in an interview with Greek newspaper Etnos.

Commenting on the statement of Turkish President Erdogan in Athens on “need” for the Treaty of Lausanne to be “revised”, Nalbandian said: “ I would not like to comment on any particular treaty or particular statement. However, the habit of backtracking from reached agreements seems to become a pattern of behaviour for Ankara. We can easily recall other examples when Turkey failed to respect its signature put under the agreements. Among others, we could recall the Zurich protocols, that were aimed at normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey,” Nalbandian noted.

Referring to Turkish organizations' statements, as if supporters of the so-called “Fetullah Terrorist Organization” were coordinating with Armenian groups to lobby against Turkey in the US Congress. Pro-government figures in Turkey have also claimed in the past that Gulen is an “Armenian” as a form of accusation, the FM noted:  “Unfortunately, this is yet another evidence of this centuries old habit of some Turkish politicians to identify Armenians with opponents and even enemies. Moreover, they sometime go as far as considering being an Armenian as an insult, which is merely an intolerant and racist behaviour.”

According to the FM, the methods and ways of Turkish lobbying activities in the US are already notoriously known to everyone. 

“However, that does not preclude them from targeting others for allegedly engaging in lobbyism against Turkey,” he noted.