Treatment towards non-Muslims in Turkey became intense after Hrant Dink's murder

PanARMENIAN.Net - After the murder of Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of 'Agos' Armenian-Turkish bilingual, nationalistic tendencies in Turkey became stronger, Director of RA NAS (National Academy of Sciences) Institute for Oriental Studies doctor Ruben Safrastian said. "If before there existed some tolerance towards ethnic minorities, after the murder of Dink treatment towards non-Muslims and non-Turkish nationalities became intense," he said.



According to Safrastian, further development of the situation with ethnic minorities in Turkey will be clear after the July 22 parliamentarian elections. At the same time he added the ruling party has the best chances to win the elections.



Ruben Safrastian also thinks that parliamentarian election in Turkey will not result in improvement of Armenian-Turkish relations. "It is senseless to expect that after parliamentarian elections Armenian-Turkish relations will improve or Turkey will open its borders with Armenia," he said. According to Safrastian, Turkish parties have not included any points on reviewing the relations between Armenia and Turkey in their campaign.



The expert thinks that Armenian-Turkish problems are key factors for both countries. "Turkey is trying to more and more isolate Armenia, thus weakening its role and stance in the international community," Safrastian said, "Novosti-Armenia" reports.