YEREVAN (Yerkir)–"It’s unwise to ignore the Armenian factor in the issue of Genocide recognition, for the factor of the Armenian Diaspora is strong throughout the globe," Republic of Armenia National Assembly Vice Speaker Vahan Hovannesian said Monday during Yerevan-Moscow spacebridge.
"According to the Congressional procedure, a resolution approved by a congressional committee should be brought to the House floor within a year. The most important thing for Speaker Pelosi is to choose a correct date for the vote," he said. "I am confident we will gain adoption of H.Res.106."
"Turkey still succeeds in blackmailing the United States. However, neither France nor Switzerland yielded to Turkish blackmail and adopted the law recognizing the Armenian Genocide," Hovannesian said. "Though, it’s easier for Europe which tries to keep Turkey away from the EU."
"We will gain a victory. However, the matter is not only recognition of the atrocity but restitution as well," he noted. "Although, it’s premature to speak of it. We should work with Turkey to change its moral and psychological atmosphere, because acknowledgement of the Genocide by Turkey is the key to Armenia’s security."
The Armenian Genocide will be recognized, according to Hovannesian because the Armenian community of the U.S. works with the American people and their representatives.
Recognition will have two phases he remarked: "the first, is the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. The second is annulment of the Moscow Treaty, according to which Turkey was given Armenian territory in the Russian Empire-Kars, Surmalu, Ardahan, while Nakhijevan and Nagorno Karabakh were turned over to Azerbaijan."
When asked by an Azeri reporter about peace in the region, Hovannesian responded that trust between Armenia’s and Azeris will be established when Baku agreed to the principle of "peace for peace" instead of "peace for territories."As to the Armenia-Turkey relations, they have nothing to do with Azerbaijan," he added.
The memory of the past is alive not only in the Armenia’s but all of humanity, Russian Duma member Konstantin Zatulin said. In due time Russia demonstrated political will and despite timeserving circumstances the State Duma approved a legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide and announcing April 24 the Day of Commemoration. There is no doubt that Russia holds a balanced stand on the issue," he said.
"The U.S. has approached adoption of H.Res.106 but unfortunately the legislation fell victim to complicated circumstances in U.S. foreign policy. The strategic relations with Turley, the current situation in Iraq and the problem of Northern Kurdistan" served to complicate the matter, Zatulin said.
"Russia always supports Armenia in the Genocide recognition issue, since neglect of these problem resulted in other crimes against humanity," he said, adding that Armenia and Russia are strategic partners. "We have a military base to remove the temptation of our neighbor states to proceed from blockade to other actions," he said. "Struggle against national minorities is a part of Kemal Ataturk’s political heritage and Turkey’s military doctrine doesn’t tolerate diversity in the region."
On October 10, with a vote 27 to 21 the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106, which was introduced by Representative Adam Schiff January 30, 2007. However, late October the authors of the resolution called on Speaker Pelosi to postpone the House vote.
"Discussion of H.Res.106 proved that no one in the United States, including the Bush administration, denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, Director of the Caucasus Media Institute, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan said.
In his opinion, adoption of the resolution appeared as an important political act for the region where Turkey, Iraq and Kurds are located.
"Turkish expansion and huge migration flows urged the majority of European states to recognize the Armenian Genocide. These factors do not exist in the U.S. yet," the political scientist said.
"There are plenty of countries throughout the globe arguing for the necessity to recognize historical facts," said Alexander Malashenko, an expert at the Moscow Carnegie Center. "Turkey will have to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide sooner or later."
According to Malashenko the Genocide problem persists for Turkey because of an inferiority complex plaguing Turkish society.
"If there is no repentance and comprehension of what really took place, such issues will always be a subject for speculation," Malashenko underscored. "With a burden like the Armenian Genocide, it will be extremely difficult for Turkey to join the European Union,"
The controversy that emerged as a result of the committee vote adopting the H.Res.106, revealed great rifts between the legislative and executive power in the U.S., President of the Institute for Strategic Assessmen’s Alexander Konovalov said.
"It was a unique case but the Bush administration launched a massive attack and thus offered Turkey a golden possibility to press on the U.S. However, I suppose that the Armenian community is a powerful organization and it will score a victory," the expert said, adding that presently the U.S. national interest is centered on escaping the "Iraqi trap."
