"We should go ahead recalling the past"
Members of the Heritage party at the head of Raffi Hovanisian today visited Tsitsernakaberd to pay tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide. They honoured the memory of the victims at the Eternal Flame with their fists up.
Heritage Leader Armen Martirosyan says it doesn't matter whether U.S. President Barack Obama pronounces the word genocide or not.
"Sooner or later the U.S. President will utter the word and admit the Armenian Genocide as it is a political rather than a historical issue," says Armen Martirosyan.
With regard to the recent agreement reached between Armenia and Turkey in Switzerland, the Heritage leader said: "I view the agreement rather negatively as the road-map hasn't been identified yet. It is unknown what preconditions Turkey laid down to Armenia and whether Armenia met them or not. I don't think establishment of diplomatic relations should be based on any preconditions by the Armenian side. If any of the sides, particularly Turkey, makes terms, Armenia must lay down its conditions for its turn and pursue its national interests," said Mr. Martirosyan.
"New Times" party (NZhK) Leader Aram Karapetyan says the recent agreement and existing problems are an entangled string. Armenia is stepping a dangerous and complicated period which can jeopardize Armenia's independent statehood.
With regard to US Vice President Joseph Biden's telephone talk with Serzh Sargsyan, the NZhK leader said they simply don't want Barack Obama to utter the word genocide. Everything is imitated. "If things continue in the same way, Armenia will appear at the threshold of a new war."
The Minister of the Diaspora, Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan says a breakthrough in the normalization of ties was a must. "Only through words and negotiations we can raise historic facts. We should go ahead and look at the future recalling and condemning the past."
US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday made the Obama administration's highest-level comments yet on the historic moves toward reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, the Washington Post reported.
Biden spoke by phone with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, and a statement from Biden's office said the vice president told him that he welcomed Wednesday's announcement from Armenia and Turkey of a breakthrough in normalizing ties after years of bitter tensions.
"The vice president applauded President Sargsyan's leadership, and underscored the administration's firm support for both Armenia and Turkey in this process," the statement said.
