Armenian PM: Genocide recognition linked to Karabakh settlement

Photo by the Izvestia
The recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are the links of the same chain, Armenia's prime minister has told a Russian paper.
In an interview with Izvestia, Tigran Sargsyan noted that no single Armenian family remained untouched by the tragedy of Genocide.
"My grandfathers, too, survived the 1915 horrors, and had a narrow escape. All our life is linked to those memories. My grandfather, who was the family's youngest, lost the whole family. So the issues relating to the recognition of Genocide and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are the links of the same chain," the premier explained.
Sargsyan said the international community has to recognize the Genocide and establish accountability measures against those guilty.
"We are trying to restrain our emotions related to the 1915 Armenian Genocide. That's why, our president has initiated talks with Turkey for establishing diplomatic ties without preconditions. We have received assistance from the European Union and the United States, and had the [Armenia-Turkey] Protocols signed in Switzerland," he noted.
The premier also spoke of increasing pressures against the Armenia authorities. "The Armenian diaspora was against the negotiations and the signing of the protocols with Turkey. But our political reputation sharply increased after [after the signing]," he said.
Sargsyan noted that the Turkish society has turned more tolerant to the issue. "Hopefully there is a stream there wishing the development of a civil society and the recognition of the Armenia Genocide. Had this been discussed 20 years ago, I wouldn't have believed it," he added.   Read more... (267 words)

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