Hrant Dink Latest Casualty in Troubled Historical Record of Turkish-Armenian Relations

PanARMENIAN.Net - The tragic assassination of Hrant Dink in Istanbul represents a sad reminder of the difficulty for some in Turkey to come to terms with both the past, in terms of Genocide, as well as the present, and to see the need for Turkey to improve its relations with Armenia, Richard Giragosian, expert of the Armenian International Police Research Group told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. "Hrant Dink is the latest casualty in the troubled historical record of Turkish-Armenian relations and his example stands as an inspiration to all those in both Armenia and Turkey who advocate a new page in bilateral relations. His death will now challenge the Turkish authorities to both come to terms with their own internal changes now underway, but also to force the Turkish authorities to move strongly to prevent such anti-Armenian violence, which is unacceptable for any modern country. While Armenians worldwide will grieve, others in Turkey must see his death as a lesson that the days of violence have long past and that Turkey's future depends as much on its recognition of the Armenian Genocide as it depends on a Turkey committed to democracy and human rights. Both the European Union, as well as the United States, should move quickly to condemn such killing and must now recognize the need for a breakthrough in Armenian-Turkish relations, including Ankara extending full and normal diplomatic relations and an end to the failed blockade of Armenia by both Turkey and Azerbaijan," he said.