ArmInfo. The Armenian Genocide committed by the Turks at the beginning of the last century, has been and remains the cornerstone of the Armenian-Turkish problems and contradictions. Director of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of RA, Academician Ashot Melkonyan, expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
"And I do not think at all that this problem can suddenly disappear with the appointment and start of work of two special envoys for the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.
Armenia's renunciation of the international policy of Genocide recognition, Turkey had set as a precondition for Armenia even before the 44-day war, that is, at a time when Armenia's positions were significantly stronger and more favorable. And I do not think at all that Ankara will suddenly decide to abandon this precondition now, "he stressed.
According to the academician, Turkey's approach to the establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia has always been based on the policy that the Armenians must renounce any demands on the Turks for the genocide committed by the Young Turks. And only if the Armenians agree to forget about the historical past in the name of friendship between the two peoples, Ankara was ready to take reciprocal steps towards Yerevan.
On January 11, a meeting between the deputy foreign ministers of Armenia, Russia, Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan was held in Moscow in the actual "3 + 2" format (without Georgia). On December 13, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that Yerevan and Ankara will appoint Special Envoys for negotiations on the normalization of relations. Later, the press secretary of the Armenian Foreign Ministry welcomed Cavusoglu's statement, confirming Armenia's intentions to appoint its special representative for the dialogue.
In this light, the historian recalled that back in 2001 Turkey offered Armenia joint work towards mutual reconciliation within the framework of the relevant commission. However, this process was stopped already in 2003, later it was also unsuccessfully reanimated in the form of "football" diplomacy, and now it is unfolding again in conditions much more favorable for Turkey and Azerbaijan. In the opinion of the academician the latter automatically casts doubt on the possibility of the Turkish leadership having really peaceful intentions.
"The observed caution of Yerevan in informing the Armenian society about steps towards the normalization of relations with Turkey is also conditioned by the Turkish policy of denial of the Genocide. All this gives a high degree of sensitivity to the normalization of relations with Turkey in such conditions, and, as a consequence, the unwillingness of the Armenian authorities to inform the public about "successes" in relations with Turkey. This is how this government works, and this is how all previous governments worked, "the academician summed up.