Tuesday, October 31 2017 15:12

ArmInfo. Unfortunately,  without normalization of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, normalization  of the Armenian-Turkish relations is impossible for today.  Turkish  journalist Serdar Korucu told journalists on October 31 answering the  question of ArmInfo about whether the normalization of the  Armenian-Turkish relations is possible without stipulating this  process with the Karabakh settlement.

"This position of the Turkish authorities, we all know that the  Karabakh conflict is a matter between Armenia, Artsakh and  Azerbaijan, but given the close relations between Baku and Ankara,  Turkey always emphasizes the importance of the settlement of the  issue, moreover, it always leads as one from the factors of  normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, the settlement of  the Karabakh conflict, unfortunately, this is so, "the Turkish  journalist said.

At the same time, Korucu thinks that the football diplomacy has  opened up good opportunities for overcoming existing difficulties and  normalizing relations between the two countries. "Unfortunately, this  format does not work, but I believe that such steps should be  continued at the official level, since contacts are very important  for overcoming conflicts." Closed Doors do not solve questions, need  to communicate, pursue a policy of rapprochement, and football  diplomacy is one of the vivid examples of this, "said the journalist.

At the same time, Korucu expressed confidence, civil society can play  an important role in the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish  relations, as it is already obvious that the political leadership of  Turkey has done nothing and does not intend to do so. "There are  serious political and historical problems between Armenia and Turkey,  for example, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the Genocide, and I  think it is more important to establish a social rather than a  political world." As experience shows, the political world is much  more difficult to achieve, Moreover, I do not think that one day the  Turkish society will wake up and say, "Yes, the Armenian Genocide  happened, we recognize it and ask for forgiveness." This can not be,  it is a process that must be permanent and have a logical z If you  remember, there was a certain awakening in Turkey after the  assassination of Hrant Dink (the editor of the Istanbul newspaper  Agos-Red), people began to talk about this reality. Of course, it's  not that no one in Turkey today knows about the Armenian Genocide,  Many people know and speak about this, but knowing and accepting are  different things, I am convinced that the time will come and, along  with the recognition of the fact, there will be recognition, "the  Turkish journalist said.  According to him, there is another  important circumstance in the relations between the two countries,  namely that in Turkey no one wants to think that their grandfathers  were murderers. "They want to hear that they lived in peace." Nobody  really wants to be the grandson of the murderer, everyone wants to be  the grandchildren of the heroes, the Turks find it very difficult to  overcome all this, "Korucu stressed.

ArmInfo asked whether it is possible in the foreseeable future to  expect recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey, the journalist  noted that this issue is not among the priorities of Ankara today.  "The government of Turkey today has more pressing issues, for  example, the Syrian crisis, the situation in Iraq, and in this regard  I believe that civil society can take some steps in this direction,  unlike the government, for which, unfortunately, the Armenian issue  does not the most important today, "Korucu said.