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  • Prime Minister Of Turkey Avoids Answering Questions On Regulation Of

    PRIME MINISTER OF TURKEY AVOIDS ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON REGULATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

    Noyan Tapan
    Feb 12, 2008

    MUNICH, FEBRUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On February 9-10 Vardan Oskanian,
    the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, took part in the 44th
    Munich Conference on Security Policy.

    The conference was presided over by Horst Teltschik, the former
    National Security Adviser of Germany. Leaders of different countries,
    40 Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, about 500 guests, that
    is to say, mass media, research centers, experts of international
    relations, who discussed the existing and future security challenges
    in a straightforward atmosphere, were present at the conference.

    Recep Taiip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey, delivered a
    speech on the foreign policy and security of Turkey under the main
    title of the conference: "The world in chaos - change of forces -
    lack of strategies".

    After his speech Vardan Oskanian made commentaries and touched upon
    the viewpoints voiced by Prime Minister Erdogan with regard to Turkey's
    being a democratic and main strategic performer contributing to peace
    and stability in the regions and beyond its borders.

    Taking into consideration the fact that the Prime Minister of Turkey
    is proud of the democratization process and the strategic role of
    Turkey in establishing peace and stability both in the region and
    beyond its borders, Vardan Oskanian said: "Mr. Prime Minister, you
    also affirmed your distinct position concerning becoming a full and
    equal member of the European Union and we in Armenia are for that. We
    want to have that kind of neighbor.

    However, as you know, at present, the border between our countries is
    closed by Turkey. We have often raised this question mentioning that
    we would like to have normal relations with Turkey: open borders and
    diplomatic relations.

    Armenians would like to be direct beneficiaries of the vision
    introduced by you today. However, we heard you distincly and clearly
    repeating the two main motives or excuses for keeping the border
    closed. The first of the voiced reasons is Armenia's involvement in
    the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the second is the fact that Armenia
    is after the recognition of the Genocide.

    However, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is proceeding between Armenians
    and Azerbaijanis and the recognition of the Genocide is our moral and
    historical obligation. Mr. Prime Minister, our countries are not at
    war at this moment and under these circumstances, when we are not at
    war, are the reasons you brought enough to justify the fact that the
    borders between our countries is closed?

    You can help us to quickly regulate the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
    with your positive involvement. The establishment of normal relations,
    the opening of borders and the establishment of diplomatic relations
    will allow us to discuss the differences of our approaches with regard
    to the Genocide problem.

    Interesting processes are proceeding and Turkey can become a natural
    bridge between the Caucasus and the European Union and NATO. And I
    wonder, do not you think that with a more positive involvement in the
    region, with the establishment of equal and neutral relations with
    everybody Turkey will play a more positive role in the regulation
    of our relations with regard to the abolition of the obstacles you
    mentioned?"

    The Prime Minister of Turkey did not answer the questions of
    Vardan Oskanian concerning the perspectives of the regulation of
    the geopolitical situation and relations. Instead he repeated the
    suggestion on creating a commission of historians and said that the
    1915 massacres have not been historically proved, on the one hand
    suggesting historians and archeologists studying the problem, on the
    other hand rejecting the possibility that the Genocide is a part of
    the Turkish culture.

    According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the Press
    and Information Department of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
    within the frameworks of the conference Vardan Oskanian had bilateral
    meetings with Petras Vaitiekunas, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
    Lithuania, and Volker Stanzel, the political director of the Ministry
    of Foreign Affairs of Germany.
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