Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review interviewed the Armenian experts regarding Erdogans description of a peace monument in the eastern city of Kars as an “abomination”.

Karine Harutyunyan, a top executive at Gyumri-based Gala TV, said that Armenians in the city of Gyumri, only 60 kilometers from Kars, are closely following the developments involving the “Monument of Humanity”. She said that Erdogan’s statements are an indication of the current level of Turkey-Armenia ties.“No dialogue is wanted. Politicians are punishing the people, but we remain committed to dialogue,” said Harutyunyan, nevertheless adding that  the sculpture is “ugly.”

Hagop Chakiryan, an expert on Turkish studies and a political columnist at the Yerevan based Azg newspaper, told the daily that he believes in the sincerity of Erdogan. Chakiryan said he has seen the monument during his visits to Kars. “It is, frankly, aesthetically ugly. And I do not believe it has artistic value”.

As regards to the opening of the Armenian and Turkish border Chakiryan considers it is incorrect to relate the monument controversy to bilateral relations. He still believes that Erdogan would like to open the border. “But Turkey is not only about the Justice and Development Party, or AKP. The nationalist oppose the opening of the border”, Hagop Chakıryan stressed.

In his turn Levon Barseghyan, head of the Gyumri-based Journalists Club Asbarez, agrees with the Turkish Prime Minister on the “aesthetic ugliness of the sculpture.”

“Still, the solution is not demolishing it,” Barseghyan said, stressing that Erdogan is trying to win votes through political maneuvering.

 “It doesn’t really matter whether that monument remains or is demolished,” said Barseghyan. “The relations that warmed with the football diplomacy in 2008 remain frozen anyway.”