No Need to Dig Up the Past: Bedros Şirinoğlu

Bedros Şirinoğlu, an outstanting representative of the Armenian community in Istanbul and Board of Trustee President of Sourp Prkich Hospital (“St. Saviour”), said he belived that Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan and Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would solve the disagreements between the two countries, reports Turkish agency Ihlas.

“I am an Armenian, but at the same time a citizen of the Republic of Turkey. Armenia is our neigbouring country, and, being an Armenian, I have a spiritual attachment [to it]. But it’s Turkey’s interests that are a priority for me. I belive that… Sargsyan and Erdoğan will be able to solve the problems that have come forward, and that the brotherhood and coexistence that existed one hundred years ago will be reinstated. There is no need to dig up the past. As the prime minister says, history should be left to historians,” said Şirinoğlu, who is expected to have a meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Referring to Erdoğan’s recent notorious statement by which he threatened to deport illegal Armenians from Turkey “if necessary,” Şirinoğlu said there was no need to worry about this issue.

“I don’t belive that those words come from the heart of our prime minister. As a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, I don’t worry about it, as I trust our prime minister, I trust his heart,” said Şirinoğlu.