The Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov held an interview with three Russian radio stations and commented on the genocide issue as well. He was asked by an Azerbaijani listener whether Russia does not fear that Putin’s visit to Yerevan on April 24 may thwart the Russian-Turkish relations, especially that the U.S. may recognize the Armenian genocide under the public pressure “with the ensuing consequences”. Sergey Lavrov announced that Putin’s visit cannot be interpreted as an occasion to spoil relations with other countries. In addition, notably the foreign minister of a country which has recognized the genocide avoided calling the events of 1915 a genocide and used the phrase “victims of mass crimes”. “Do you understand, honoring the memory of victims of mass crimes cannot be interpreted as a reason for spoiling relations with someone, both the governments in the territories where those crimes were perpetrated and other governments,” Lavrov announced and gave examples of reconciliation of France and Germany, Russia and Germany after World War II. “We support normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, we are for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. Russia is doing a lot for this. We supported the process that started several years ago initiated by Ankara and Yerevan towards elaboration of documents on opening the borders, mutual recognition, cooperation. Unfortunately, the documents were signed but were not enacted because Turkey did not ratify them at this stage. However, we are going to support it to make it happen,” Lavrov announced, referring to the Armenian-Turkish protocols which Serzh Sargsyan has recalled from the Armenian parliament. In fact, Russia hints at revitalizing the Armenian-Turkish protocols.
