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AZG Armenian Daily #075, 27/04/2005
Armenia-Turkey
KOCHARIAN SUGGESTS ERDOGAN RELATIONS WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS
'Governments are responsible for bilateral relations and we have no right to
authorize historians'
The President of Armenia replied to the letter of Turkish prime minister
yesterday and suggested establishing bilateral relations between the
countries without preconditions. Mediamax agency provided us with Recep
Tayyip Erdogan's letter to President Kocharian where the PM offered "to
establish a joint group consisting of historians and other experts from our
to countries to study the developments and events of 1915 not only in the
archives of Turkey and Armenia but also in the archives of relevant third
countries and to share their findings with the international public".
"Dear Mr. Prime Minister, as neighbors we indeed have to look for ways for
peaceful coexistence now and in future. For that very reason we have
suggested to establish diplomatic relations, to open the border and start a
dialogue between the states and peoples".
"There are neighboring countries in the world, particularly in Europe, with
a tough past that brings out discords. But it is no obstacle for them to
have open borders, natural relations, diplomatic ties, representatives in
each other's capitals and to discuss arguable issues meanwhile", Kocharian's
letter reads.
"Your proposal of studying the past cannot be productive if it has no tracks
to the present and future. For a productive dialogue we need a beneficial
and adequate political environment. Governments are responsible for
bilateral relations and we have no right to authorize historians. Thus we
suggest as we did before to establish normal relations between the two
states without preconditions". President Kocharian's letter reads in the end
that "in this context there may be set an intergovernmental commission to
discuss all bilateral issues with the aim to solve them and reach mutual
understanding".
It is clear from the President's letter that Yerevan is not going to leave
the issue of the Armenian Genocide to the historians. Foreign minister
Oskanian said earlier that the "historians have done their work" and Turkey
is now only to accept its past and recognize the Genocide.
By Tatoul Hakobian
Armenia-Turkey
KOCHARIAN SUGGESTS ERDOGAN RELATIONS WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS
'Governments are responsible for bilateral relations and we have no right to
authorize historians'
The President of Armenia replied to the letter of Turkish prime minister
yesterday and suggested establishing bilateral relations between the
countries without preconditions. Mediamax agency provided us with Recep
Tayyip Erdogan's letter to President Kocharian where the PM offered "to
establish a joint group consisting of historians and other experts from our
to countries to study the developments and events of 1915 not only in the
archives of Turkey and Armenia but also in the archives of relevant third
countries and to share their findings with the international public".
"Dear Mr. Prime Minister, as neighbors we indeed have to look for ways for
peaceful coexistence now and in future. For that very reason we have
suggested to establish diplomatic relations, to open the border and start a
dialogue between the states and peoples".
"There are neighboring countries in the world, particularly in Europe, with
a tough past that brings out discords. But it is no obstacle for them to
have open borders, natural relations, diplomatic ties, representatives in
each other's capitals and to discuss arguable issues meanwhile", Kocharian's
letter reads.
"Your proposal of studying the past cannot be productive if it has no tracks
to the present and future. For a productive dialogue we need a beneficial
and adequate political environment. Governments are responsible for
bilateral relations and we have no right to authorize historians. Thus we
suggest as we did before to establish normal relations between the two
states without preconditions". President Kocharian's letter reads in the end
that "in this context there may be set an intergovernmental commission to
discuss all bilateral issues with the aim to solve them and reach mutual
understanding".
It is clear from the President's letter that Yerevan is not going to leave
the issue of the Armenian Genocide to the historians. Foreign minister
Oskanian said earlier that the "historians have done their work" and Turkey
is now only to accept its past and recognize the Genocide.
By Tatoul Hakobian