YEREVAN (ARF Press Service)–Georgia’s central authorities are actively fear mongering in Akhaltskha and Akhalkalak regions of Javakhk, announced ARF Political Director Giro Manoyan during a press briefing Tuesday.
“Nevertheless, Armenia has no right to interfere in Georgia’s domestic affairs, as it will be a violation of the republic’s commitmen’s to the Council of Europe,” Manoyan told the news conference.
“On the other hand, Georgia spares no effort to evict the Armenian population whose only wish is to live peacefully in its native land,” he added, reminding reporters that late Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan had called for the establishment of an Armenian consulate in Javakhk, but that proposal was rejected by Georgian authorities.
On another front, Manoyan said that ongoing negotiations between Armenia and Turkey are not reducing the likelihood of official U.S. recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide.
“Opening the border and establishing diplomatic relations alone would not prevent the genocide’s recognition because Armenia is not committing itself to renouncing the process of genocide recognition,” said Manoyan.
“Turkey should assume responsibility for the crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire,” Manoyan said.
“It is necessary to press on and keep the Armenian Genocide question on the agenda. Turkish high ranking officials are distorting the facts in an effort to create the image that Armenia does not have a ‘Genocide Problem,’” added Manoyan
He said the recognition of the Genocide has strategic and national security implications and is a stated Armenian foreign policy priority.
Manoyan added that the prospects for the resumption of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia have begun to worry Azerbaijan, which, in turn has initiated its own diplomatic campaign against Armenia.