Ethnic crisis is maturing in Turkey
Turkologist Ruben Melkonyan thinks Turkey's rough stance is explained by the country's interior political issues.
"Turkey's ruling party longs to strengthen its position ahead of the parliamentary elections of 2011, while Turkish-Armenian rapprochement smears the party's rating," Ruben Melkonyan told A1+.
"On the way to the European Union, Turkey has assumed a stance which contradicts international norms. The country even uses international tribunes for its crafty tricks."
The turkologist thinks Turkey's membership to the EU is unrealistic in the near future given the negative moods in the country. The results of a recent survey conducted in Turkey are good evidence to this.
As for the initiative of Turkish Nationalist Movement Chairman Devlet Bahceli to pray namaz on the ruins of Ani in response to Akhtamar's Holy Cross liturgy on September 19, Mr. Melkonyan advised the Armenian government to appeal to the UNESCO and remind that Turkey has hundreds of thousands mosques for offering namaz.
"According to Turkish media, Bahceli's ancestors were apostate Armenians. Thus, Turkish press blames the extreme nationalist for his Armenian roots, which means an ethnic crisis is maturing in Turkey," said Ruben Melkonyan.
