It is Turkey rather than Armenia that must take a "bold step" by recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide, Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Spokesman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov told ArmInfo on Thursday, when asked to comment on Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's last statement on Armenian-Turkish relations.
Davutoglu said that "for the Armenians, 1915 was a year of relocation during which exceedingly great tragedies took place. The years prior to and after 1915 were also a time of tremendous tragedy for the Turks in Anatolia" and added that the relations between Ankara and Yerevan might enter into a "new era" if Armenian Diaspora decides to take "bold steps" similar to one Ankara has taken.
According to Sharmazanov, Davutoglu is mistaken as in 1915 there was not a relocation but a genocide, a systematic annihilation of as many as 1,500,000 Armenians living in their historical land. "So, I think for a 'new era' to start in Armenian-Turkish relations, Turkey must take steps to face its own history and to recognize the first genocide of the 20th century," Sharmazanov said.