Tuesday, April 16 2019 17:05

ArmInfo.The position of Turkey in recent years on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations not only did not  soften, but became even tougher. This opinion on April 16 at a press  conference was expressed by Victor Nadein-Rayevsky, senior researcher  at the Institute of Political and Social Studies of the Black Sea-  Caspian Region, leading researcher at the Institute of World Economy  and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

He recalled the planned and deliberate extermination of Armenians in  Ottoman Turkey, which began long before 1915 and was carried out  under the pretext of displacement and deportations. Nadein-Rayevsky  recalled the presence of numerous facts proving this flagrant crime  against humanity. The Russian expert also expressed regret that  Turkey could not accept its own history, recognize the perfect fact  and apologize, as for example, Germany did in its time.

According to him, numerous facts prove that today Turkish society is  still not ready to touch its own history and recognize the Armenian  Genocide.

Speaking about the position of the Turkish authorities on this issue,  he stated that if in 2008 he had some optimistic forecasts on the  recognition of the Armenian genocide by Turkey, today they are  completely dispelled. "The position of the Turkish authorities not  only did not soften, but became even tougher than before, and this is  reinforced by the victories that the ruling majority gained during  electoral processes. I would also like to state that the "Gray  Wolves" movement is gaining popularity again in modern Turkey and the  idea of pan-Turkism, which laid the foundation of the Armenian  Genocide in 1915, "the Russian Orientalist said, adding that  anti-Armenian sentiments were always cultivated in Turkish society -  from the very beginning, at one time less, at one time more, but it  has always been.

According to him, unfortunately, his expectations regarding the  recognition by Turkey of this crime are not optimistic, since the  situation in the region has not changed as a whole, and Armenia  continues to be perceived as an "eyesore." "Armenia, as before, is  perceived as a wedge that hinders the reunification of the Turkic  world. Although, as it would seem, Armenia does not interfere in  anything, and certainly does not prevent anyone from reuniting," he  said.

In conclusion, he touched upon the influence of the Russian position  on the Armenian Genocide on Russian-Turkish relations.  Nadein-Rayevski reminded how painful Ankara perceived the  participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin in events dedicated  to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan.  According to him, it was this step of the Russian side that dealt a  serious blow to the Nord Stream project, and complicated relations  between Moscow and Ankara.