Kiro Manoyan, who is in charge of the Office of the Armenian Issue (Hay Dat) and Political Affairs of the ARF (Dashnaktsutyun Bureau), stated on April 23 at the Pastark Club that for the time being our efforts will not be directed at international recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 1915 but at accentuating the responsibility of Turkey:
“Refusal to recognize the Genocide has political motives. Genocide is a crime the recognition of which will have consequences.” Kiro Manoyan believes that as long as Turkey does not admit to its fault and denies the Genocide, “we have a dangerous neighbor and we have no reason to feel secure…let alone the blockade of Armenia.” Manoyan thinks the next step towards the recognition of the Genocide will be compensation, and the opening of the Turkish and Armenian border cannot be considered as a compensation for the Genocide because normal neighbors have open borders. Compensation would involve unification of the historical Armenian territories with the Republic of Armenia, Manoyan stated, adding that the names and borders of the territories will be defined in the talks. “We are not the only country which has border disputes. Turkey has disputes over borders with many of its neighbors, for instance, Greece. However, it has contact and relations with Greece. Whereas, in their relations with us, Turkey sets preconditions.” Kiro Manoyan believes that the Armenian government will never give up claims for compensation for the Genocide. The call of the Nobel Prize winning scholars to Armenia and Turkey, according to Manoyan, is an attempt to hinder the recognition of the Genocide because it blames both peoples. Manoyan says there is one commendable point in the call. The Nobel Prize winners call on Turkey to admit to its own past. Manoyan made speeches in front of the crowd, and assured that Turkey was scared of our unification. Students were holding the flags of the countries to have recognized the Armenian Genocide, whereas schoolchildren were holding the RA flag. ‘‘My friend is a Russian, that’s why I am holding the RF flag”, Volodya joked but at the same time couldn’t help showing his pride carrying the flag. Hrant from Constantinople was holding a poster with Hrant Dink’s picture. “It is already 100 days since Hrant Dink was killed: we are here to commemorate his death, too. As Armenians, we will not feel secure in Istanbul until the criminals are punished. A terrible atmosphere is reigning in Istanbul,” he said. “Dink’s assassination comes to prove that there is great division in Turkey. There is a great struggle for one’s identity. We hope sooner or later this struggle will make Turkey reflect upon its sins and they will truly try to receive absolution,” Kiro Manoyan informed.