Ruben Melkonyan: The Turkish show was a failure

“Yesterday's liturgy at St. Cross Church and the whole Turkish show were a failure,” expert of Turkish studies Ruben Melkonyan told a press conference today. According to him, the Turkish scenario did not come true, because only 700-800 Armenian pilgrims – mostly Istanbul Armenians – participated in the liturgy.

“Businessmen from Van confess they were disappointed. All the preparations were in vain, 90% of the hotels remained empty,” Melkonyan said.

Even the Turkish Prime Minister’s invitations send out to Armenian political forces did not help ensure the desired participation. Ruben Melkonyan also received an invitation, which he rejected.

According to the political scientist, the Turkish show increased the discrepancy between Istanbul Armenians and Diaspora Armenians.

By organizing this show, Turkey wished to pretend to be tolerant. However, the act of protest organized in Armenia questioned the Turkish tolerance. Henceforth, Armenians must demonstrate to the international community, that Turks are not playing fairly. Besides, the issue of the status of Armenian historical-cultural monuments should be raised,” he said.http://www.armradio.am/news/?part=pol&id=18248

Kiro Manoyan: Turkey failed to reach its objective because of wrong steps
Turkey failed to reach its objective because of wrong steps in the recent period,” Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau's Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan said. According to him, many news agencies of the world presented the Armenian position. Most of the leading media, such as the CNN and the BBC, reported that Turkey avoids opening St. Cross as a church as it fears that Armenians could claim their lands. Kiro Manoyan believes that it’s time for us to take up the control over the process of development of events.

ARF representative notes, however, that this process escalated many issues. First of all, Turkey made it clear that it is the master of St. Cross Church and is authorized to allow or not to allow holding a liturgy there. According to him, the Armenian Apostolic Church should initiate series of more liturgies in Akhtamar and other churches. Dashnaktsutyun will, in its turn, support the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, he said.

Kiro Manoyan says Armenia should be able to make it clear to everyone that Turkey's permission to hold a liturgy in St Cross Church was a concession to its own national minority, not Armenia. "The rights of Armenians are so much violated that the permission to hold a holy mass is viewed as generosity," he said.
http://www.armradio.am/news/?part=pol&id=18247