Armenians must call for reparations ahead of 2015 – Dashnak politician

Armenians must call for reparations ahead of 2015 – Dashnak politician –

Tert – Armenia’s greatest achievement ahead of the Genocide centennial would be a pan-national call for reparations, says a senior representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun (ARF-D).

“Both Turkey and other countries understand this, but it is important to fix that we have demands from Turkey. We have already launched active measures towards the Genocide centennial to shape a political mindset. And steps by Turkey to counteract to that are the proof of that,” Head of the ARF-D bureau Giro Maniyan told a news conference.

Asked whether Armenia has the necessary resources to make 2015 unprecedented, the politician said that he really sees a progress. “We have made such a progress in the past decades that it isn’t right to anticipate a new blowout. It is common knowledge today that Turkey committed genocide and now experiences hatred for the Armenians,” he noted.

Asked to comment on the continuing calls for gathering together Armenians in Istanbul in 2015 for commemorating the tragic centennial, Manoyan said he knows that events of the kind will be held everywhere. “Istanbul has always hosted commemoration ceremonies. But conducting ceremonies in Turkey next year will be of special importance; it is important, however, to convey the right message to Turkey’s society,” Manoyan  said.

He added that the ARF-D had asked a commission of specialists to elaborate the demands back in 2007. “They published the first draft in 2010, outlining five key demands: recognition, reparation and legislative changes in Turkey to eliminate the anti-Armenian policies and raise the problem of collective damage and territorial questions. To resolve territorial issues it is necessary to recall the Armenia-Turkey protocols,” he added.