We must congratulate US on House Committee Foreign Affairs passage of Armenian Genocide resolution. US did not act based on its own political interests but rather took a decision characterizing it as a civilized state, sociologist Lyudmila Harutyunyan stated.

As she stated at joint news conference with historian Samvel Karapetyan, Turkey has to pass from a policy of Genocide denial to that of repentance.

According to the sociologist, resolution passage won’t lead to any changes in Turkey-US relations, as the issue of Genocide recognition is in intermediary position, and could as well be excluded from Congress agenda.

As Harutyunyan noted, to truly normalize bilateral relations, both people’s collective memories should be changed; Armenia has to be ready to accept Turkey’s apologies, should Turkey acknowledge Genocide and apologize.

Samvel Karapetyan, in turn, noted that we are the ones to determine what benefits the passage of resolution could bring. “It’s crucial to me that present generation should know its history, so that even in 10 years people would be ready to claim their rights for the lost motherland,” he emphasized.

The historian disagreed with Haturyunyan’s statement on Turkey’s apologies being enough for reconciliation. “Modern Turkey’s territory was formed after the Genocide; a possible passage of H. Res. 252 in US Congress can cause upheavals in Turkey, striking at the very roots of the Turkish state,” Karapetyan emphasized.