Sargis Khandanyan, a candidate for chair of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, said the Armenian authorities no longer consider international recognition of the Armenian Genocide a priority.

He denied reports that Turkey had made demands concerning abandoning Genocide recognition or removing Mount Ararat from state symbols. Khandanyan said the process had proceeded without preconditions, Factor.am reports.

“At no stage of the negotiations has there ever been such a demand or even such a hint from representatives of Turkey,” he stressed.

According to Khandanyan, placing the Genocide issue on the foreign policy agenda was a mistake by previous authorities. He said the issue should not become a priority in the future either.

“The Armenian government, particularly during Robert Kocharyan’s years, made an enormous mistake when it brought this issue forward and made it a national foreign policy priority,” the lawmaker said.

Explaining his position, Khandanyan said various countries have used the issue of Genocide recognition as a political tool. He cited as examples countries that adopted resolutions recognizing the Genocide while also signing major military contracts with Azerbaijan.

“The Armenian Genocide should not be made the subject of any kind of negotiation,” he concluded.