Genocide Issue Not Discussed: Arman Kirakossian

RA Deputy Defense Minister Arman Kirakossian denied a statement allegedly made by Turkey’s former Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and disseminated by some media that during one of the Armenian-Turkish normalization meetings attended by Babacan an agreement was reached to discuss the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

“I wouldn’t like to believe that Turkey’s former foreign minister could say such a thing. But if it’s true, it raises suspicions, as I was present in those meetings during which the Armenian-Turkish normalization process began and continued and there was no agreement to discuss the fact of the Genocide,” said Kirakossian to local Armenian media when asked whether those reports were true.

“Both the president and the foreign minister have frequently stated publicly that Armenia has never questioned the fact of the Genocide and the importance of its international recognition and will never do so. RA Foreign Minister said it even in November 2008 in Istanbul just minutes before the meeting with then Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. Today any speculation over the issue is irrelevant and inappropriate,” said Kirakossian.