Kiro Manoyan: “Another insult to the Armenian people”
Kiro Manoyan, head of the ARF Bureau's Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office, considers the initiative of the Turkish Nationalist Movement party to pray namaz on the ruins of Ani as another insult to the Armenian people.
"The ruins are of no value for Turkey and do not belong to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. By authorizing the namaz Ankara unmasked its true face. Turkey seeks to show the world that it is normalizing its relations with Armenia," Kiro Manoyan told A1+.
The ARF representative says at present Armenia can do nothing but protest against the Turkish initiative.
"In fact, the territory belongs to the Armenian community of Turkey, and the Turkish government should take into consideration the opinion of the community if it wants to preserve the area."
Kiro Manoyan said that a cross has been erected on the dome of Surb Khach (Holy Cross) Church on Akhtamar Island. Turkish oppositionists are going to stage a protest on the Armenian-Turkish border against the suspension of Armenian-Turkish rapprochement.
"Surely, they pursue their personal interest and want to settle the country's interior political issues and gain confidence ahead of the parliamentary elections of 2011."
Regarding Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's statement that Turkey is ready to continue the peace deal with Armenia, Kiro Manoyan said it is a recurrent lie. He condemned Turkey's non-constructive stance and advised Armenian authorities to withdraw Armenia's signature from the Armenian-Turkish Protocols.
