– Mr. Igityan, today the US House of Representatives is discussing the 252 bill concerning the recognition of the Armenian genocide. Many senators have expressed their commitment to vote for the bill. Do you think the committee will adopt the bill?
– All what is discussed in the Congress should be viewed in the context of the US-Turkey relations. Sometimes it is introduced in Armenia as a part of the Armenian-Turkish relations, which I think is a wrong approach. I mean that the US has issues to clarify with Turkey, thus they are using this opportunity to reach this goal. There are many geopolitical and political issues in Turkey such as the issues of long-distance missiles installation, Turkey-Israel, Turkey-Syria relations and the Turkish domestic politics, in the list of which the issue of Armenia does not occupy an important place.
– What may be the impact of the discussion on the Armenian-Turkish relations?
– I don’t think it may affect these relations because the relations have never been worse during the past 20 years than now. These relations have sharpened especially due to the protocols, where the parties have reached a point, where even Turkish high rank officials call Armenia an aggressor or occupant. This process, which was to improve the relations between these two countries, due to the Armenian wrong foreign policy worsened these relations and the situation with the issue of Karabakh conflict.
– Some members of the ARF even say that the discussion of this bill may even be a pressure on the White House.
– I wouldn’t say that. Generally in the US the executive and legislative powers are separated, but it is up to the executive power, the president, to approve the bill finally. The US also often uses these things for its goals. However, this issue should be viewed in the context of the Turkey-US relations. It is not like the US want to give a solution to the historical justice and solve the Armenian’s issue fairly. The US is using this issue for political purposes connected with the relations with Turkey.
– Do you think that the discussion of this issue will not influence on Turkey at all?
– I don’t think Turkey will do this process under pressure. I can bring a lot of examples when Turkey was pressed on to solve certain issues. Let’s take the issue of Cyprus, even under the pressure of the EU Turkey does not act as they want. Generally we are in a situation when we have to start everything from zero. If Turkey and Armenia really want to solve the issue of opening the borders and developing diplomatic relations, they have to sit and talk directly and without linking this issue with the genocide, agreement of Kars or the conflict of Karabakh. -But Turkey is trying to link. -Yes, Turkey does, because Armenia has given them an opportunity due to signing under a document, which writes everything other than the demand to open the border. There were provisions in the document such as the territorial integrity, panel of historians, approval of border and other issues, which Turkey interprets in the way it wants. -This time the Jewish lobby will not actively struggle against the adoption of the bill. Will it give an incentive to the Armenian issue? -I don’t think it is good to think that it is good if the US create problems for Turkey. I mean that if we think that the good solution is the recognition of the genocide, opening of the border and developing diplomatic relations, I don’t think the adoption of the issue in the Congress may in some way help this process. I think that the key to the relations of these countries is in the hands of Armenia and Turkey. -Do you think that the bill will be brought up? -It is hard to say but according to the information I have from different places, many senators are committed to vote for it. However I can’t say anything about the final approval as there are many inner political issues there which I don’t know well.
– What will happen later if the bill is approved anyway? -I don’t think anything may change. We have seen such situation several times and hardly may it develop according to another scenario. It will be the same scenario as always. MPs are free and they go deeper in their speeches. They always bring up and discuss historical facts, but the administration is always led by political goals but not justice or historical truth. In this case I see that the US wants to have better relations with Turkey. Turkey is the main ally of the West in this difficult region, and of course the US would like to continue this cooperation. -This time a parliamentary delegation from Armenia will take part in the discussion too. Turkish MPs are there too.
– Tell you frankly I don’t know whether these delegations are going to the same place or no. I don’t think they are paying these visits to solve the same problem. The Turkish delegation has left for the US to solve the issue of the Turkish-American relations because this issue is on the agenda of the Congress. The Congress agenda does not have any issue of discussing the Armenian-Turkish or Armenian-American relations. I mean I know the goal of the visit of the Turkish delegation. However, I don’t understand what issues the Armenian delegation is going to solve there. I don’t think the visit of the ARF people is justified because the ARF Hay Dat chapter is doing a lot of work there and does lobbying in the framework of the US law.