YEREVAN. – Nothing has changed in Turkey over the 104 years after the Armenian Genocide, Turkologist Diran Lokmagozyan said a press conference on Saturday.

“On the contrary, Turkey’s positions have toughened,” he added. “This is particularly noticeable over the past decades.”

Lokmagozyan noted that the Turkish authorities, especially the MFA and secret services, are actively engaged in genocide denial.

“[Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan’s policy depends on his [own] interests, the turkologist said.

Lokmagozyan recalled that Turkey’s denial policy extends to other countries, too. Accordingly, when a country recognizes or raises the matter of Armenian Genocide recognition, Turkey immediately opposes it at various levels. In this context, the turkologist welcomed the fact that French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to launch something else, in addition to the fact that France has formally recognized the Genocide and declared April 24 as the day of remembrance for its victims.

According to Lokmagozyan, Turkey is now stating that “the so-called genocide is a matter for historians,” thus moving the debate from the political domain where it is being defeated.

“At present, Ankara will not recognize [Armenian Genocide] even if the whole world recognizes,” Diran Lokmagozyan noted, in particular. “A tough policy should be pursued with it. (…). Softness will lead to the opposite result.”