“Zhamanak” says that the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations is as unlikely as ever now that Armenians are marking the centenary of the 1915 genocide in the Ottoman Empire. The paper recalls that as recently six years ago to the day the Turkish and Armenian governments publicized a U.S.-backed roadmap to mending bilateral ties. Their historic rapprochement subsequently ended in failure, however.
“Zhoghovurd” reports that an Armenian parliament declaration on the genocide centennial has caused a major split within the parliamentary faction of former President Levon Ter-Petrosian’s Armenian National Congress (HAK). Two faction members, Lyudmila Sargsian and Stepan Demirchian, on Tuesday voted for the declaration over the HAK leadership’s objections. Sargsian downplays the discord, telling the paper that she and Demirchian are not affiliated with Ter-Petrosian’s party despite being elected to the National Assembly on the HAK ticket.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says that government claims that the Armenian economy continued to grow in the first quarter of this year contrast with official statistics showing significant drops in Armenian exports and electricity production in the same period. “If there are decreases in these areas then it is illogical to speak of any growth,” the paper quotes Harutyun Mesropian, an independent economist, as saying.
“Hraparak” says that the latest pro-Armenian moves by some states as well as recent days’ influx of many Diaspora Armenians and other foreign visitors to Yerevan for the centennial commemorations and unprecedented international media coverage of the Armenian genocide issue have “created a positive atmosphere in the country.” “We have now realized how the countries receiving many tourists live,” writes the paper.
(Tigran Avetisian)