Serj Tankian won't have concert in Turkey

Famous American-Armenian rock singer Serj Tankian has been invited to have a concert in Turkey but he will definitely reject the invitation as it is hard for him to visit a country where he cannot freely say the truth as an artist.

"For me that is not art. Only the concert isn't enough for me. I would sing in Turkey if I could freely express my ideas together with my music," Tankian said in an interview with Athens-based daily Azat Or (Free Day), recalling that in 1998 too he was invited to a concert tour with a Turkish group called Slayer.

Speaking about his impressions about the recent concert in Yerevan Tankian said: "Though at first there were some technical problems, the ending was very good. I was especially overwhelmed with emotions as it was the first time I was performing in the homeland. I have a song dedicated to the Genocide. The interpretation and the reaction to the song in the homeland were unique. I don't think I will be able to sing better in another place and have such high feelings I had on the homeland soil."

Asked what Genocide means to him, Tankian said that it means "extinction."

"It is the greatest reality of injustice. The reason we must speak about it very often is that there is an international indifference for its recognition and retribution by the UN or other international bodies," said he.