Turks keep questioning themselves about Armenia's further demands upon Ankara's recognition of Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - For the last 1.5 years dramatic changes have occurred in Armenian-Turkish relations, including the attempts at improvement of relationships, which have never been made before, the member of Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Director of Institute of Philosophy, Sociology and Law Gevorg Poghosyan told a news conference.



"In 2005 public opinion polls were conducted in Armenia and Turkey to analyze relationships between Armenian and Turkish people. According to poll results, there were few who believed any improvement was possible", the sociologist said.



"According to poll results, Armenians have a clear perception of the Turks. Turks' perception of Armenia and Armenians is rather indistinct. They maintain normal attitude towards their neighbor's being an Armenian, whereas Armenians assume a negative attitude toward the possibility of their neighbor's being a Turk," Gevorg Poghosyan emphasized.



"This fact is accounted for Armenians having been the victims of the Turkish government. Besides Armenians have no previous experience of co-residing with Turks. The Armenian People have a psychological complex concerning their relationships with the Turks. The complex is deeply- rooted as it has been passed on from generation to generation. Turks keep questioning themselves about Armenia's further demands upon Ankara's recognition of the Genocide. This issue became a pressing one," the sociologist said.



"A new public opinion poll is planned in September 2009. In his opinion, the results of the new poll to be publicized in November 2009 will register significant differences as compared to 2005," he said.



"In 2005 around 20% of Turkish population knew or spoke about the Armenian Genocide, and now their number grew dramatically. In the past many people excluded the possibility of opening the border between Armenia and Turkey and today the issue is being actively discussed," Gevorg Poghosyan said.