YEREVAN (Armenpress)—A prominent Armenian political analyst, Ara Papian, has called for the creation of a governmental body for the development of a legal portfolio of Armenian reparation demands from Turkey. The body, Papian says, should be given the authority to invite experienced specialists of international law from around the world.
Speaking at a press conference on May 1, Papian said, “The process of the Armenian Genocide recognition is meaningless without a clear legal formulation of our demands, because we do not gain anything from it. But, if we put forward clearly formulated legal demand to Turkey, then we can get some assistance in that issue from certain countries, which are interested in restraining Turkey and seeing it geographically more limited.”
He noted that the lawsuit brought forth by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, who has demanded the return of the historical Catholicosate of Sis, has been initiated at the right time. “Years ago, His Holiness Aram I convened a conference on the issue of the return of the Catholicosate of Sis, during which we decided to raise that issue. I think that Catholicos Aram I was right in putting forward the aforesaid issue during the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, which was a justified step from a political viewpoint,” Papian said.
Well said on the proposed plan!
It’s amazing that this doesn’t already exist – why wasn’t it done 50 years ago? A lot of effort is spent on gaining “recognition” – who cares about recognition if our lands and property aren’t returned, if damages aren’t paid!
It means nothing for Obama, the U.S., the Pope or anyone else to call it “genocide” if reparations aren’t made.
Indeed, something that should have been formulated a long time ago. To start, the Republic of Armenia should stop telling the Turkish government that it has no territorial demands. The only natural step after recognition is territorial reparation. This demand should not only be a irredenstist concept, but a pan-Armenian demand. The dead are gone and proof of personal assets and property is virtually impossible. Property belonging to religious and public institutions are first to be returned and followed up by surrender of historically significant Armenian territory. Anything short of this will be futile and in vain. Even in personal situations, murderers are sued in civil court for the pain and suffering they caused to the victim and his family.