Minister denies calling Armenians 'Diaspora representatives' in Istanbul

Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan dismisses the allegations that she called Istanbul Armenians Diaspora representatives during a recent visit to Turkey.

"I used phrases like 'Istanbul Armenian community' and 'compatriots living beyond Armenia's borders'," she told Tert.am at a Yerevan State University-hosted news conference on Thursday.

It came after the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet published an article on the minister's recent visit to Istanbul and her meeting with the local Armenian community representatives.

Many Istanbul Armenians were outraged by the minister's visit and the medals she gave them, because she called them Diaspora Armenians, the Turkish publications said, adding that the Armenians in Istanbul do not consider themselves Diaspora representatives as they live in a land which once belonged to their ancestors.

Commenting on the report, the minister said its author might have only assumed that she had used the word Diaspora when addressing the Istanbul Armenians.

"That's the only possible provocative act they could have resorted to," she said.

The minister added that several Armenian journalists accompanied her during her visit, and the records of all the meetings and conversations are available in video and audio formats.

She said the ministry had discussed and clarified the definition of the word Diaspora when elaborating the Armenia-Diaspora Concept.

"Diaspora represents all the Armenians who live beyond the Armenian Highland. In this context, we have singled out the Armenians of Istanbul and those living on the territory of Western Armenia. Those people have inhabited the lands for thousands of years,
and they are not considered Diaspora [representatives]. It's Turkey's state policy that aims to drive a wedge between the Armenians living in their homeland and those living beyond its borders," the minister said.