Turkish experts slam Armenian diaspora for disregarding people’s interests

Analysts from the Ankara-based Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) Tugce Tecimer and Selenay Erva Yalçın have said that the Armenian diaspora is disregarding the interests of the Armenian people, doing everything in its power to undermine the dialogue between Ankara and Yerevan. 

The analysts highlighted the anti-Turkish hysteria within the Armenian diaspora, Caliber.Az report via local media.

For the diaspora, the pressing need of the people of Armenia to open a communication route with the West through Türkiye seems irrelevant, which negatively affects efforts to ensure long-term stability and development in the region. The experts pointed to a scandal at the so-called "Armenian Heritage Night" traditionally organised by the LA Kings sports club in Los Angeles. 

"At a similar event held on February 22 in the US, scarves in the colours of the Armenian flag, emblazoned with the sports club's logo, were sold. However, when it was revealed that the scarves were made in Türkiye, the organisers faced harsh criticism. Representatives of LA Kings were ultimately forced to issue a formal apology and announce a refund for the scarves," the experts noted. 

The analysts emphasised that the incident in Los Angeles again showcased the level of hostility towards Türkiye and the deep divergence between the positions of Yerevan and the diaspora. 

"For the diaspora, the interests of the people and authorities of Armenia are secondary. As a result, every effort is made to prevent the development of relations between Ankara and Yerevan, including the issue of opening the border and promoting trade," the experts remarked, calling the Armenian diaspora a factor that undermines the atmosphere of trust and stability in the South Caucasus.

Earlier, Armenia’s special envoy for the normalisation of Armenia-Türkiye relations Ruben Rubinyan said that Armenia is fully prepared for the normalisation of relations with Türkiye, and Yerevan's stance on this matter has remained unchanged since the beginning of the process. 

Rubinyan made these remarks during an interview with Turkish TV channel NTV.

“We expect a complete settlement of relations with Türkiye, which includes the normalisation of diplomatic ties and the reopening of the Armenia-Türkiye land border,” he said.

While speaking about the ongoing normalisation process, the Armenian special envoy reiterated that Yerevan is ready to normalise relations without any preconditions. 

By Naila Husyenova