YEREVAN. – Our tactics on genocide recognition are Armenia’s strengthening; it’s the most correct and the shortest way. Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, on Wednesday told this to reporters at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in capital city Yerevan.

“The tactic that we [Armenia] have, [which] we have had  for years, is telling,” he stressed. “You see that every year a partner country recognizes Armenian Genocide.”

Touching upon the failure of third President Serzh Sargsyan’s “football diplomacy” with Turkey, Simonyan noted that he did not believe from the beginning that it was possible in this way to achieve any success with Turkey. 

“Given that Turkey has had numerous opportunities to start any diplomacy [with Armenia],” he added. “In my view, it was doomed to failure from the beginning.”

And asked whether it would be a failed plan now as well if Armenia were to seek reconciliation with Turkey, the Armenian parliament deputy speaker said as follows, in particular: “Our [Armenia’s] positions haven’t changed much; they have been repeatedly voiced.”

Alen Simonyan added that he does not consider it acceptable that Turkey posits preconditions before Armenia.