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Interfax, Russia
April 10 2009
Sargsyan opposed to preliminary conditions in settlement with Turkey
YEREVAN April 10
Relations between Armenia and Turkey should be sorted out as soon as
possible and without any preliminary conditions, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan told a news conference on Friday.
"We have repeatedly announced our readiness to establish relations
with Turkey without any preliminary conditions. During the settlement
process with Turkey, Armenia does not plan to put forth any
preliminary conditions, including the issue of Armenian genocide
recognition," Sargsyan said.
"I believe that Turkey does not view objections to recognition of this
genocide as a preliminary condition. We need to sort out our
relations," the Armenian head said.
Sargsyan said he hopes that the Armenian-Turkish border will be opened
before a football match between the two countries' national teams in
October 2009.
"I think the border will be opened, or we will come close to opening
it, before I go to watch this football match," he said.
Addressing the possibility of Washington recognizing the Armenian
genocide, Sargsyan said that "the U.S. does not need us to decide
whether or not to recognize this genocide."
"We are not making the U.S. recognize the Armenian genocide," he said.
The deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population
in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, during which, according to various
reports, more than 1.5 million people were killed, has been recognized
as an act of genocide by a number of countries. Turkey, however,
refuses to recognize it and demands a solution to the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict based on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
tm dp
April 10 2009
Sargsyan opposed to preliminary conditions in settlement with Turkey
YEREVAN April 10
Relations between Armenia and Turkey should be sorted out as soon as
possible and without any preliminary conditions, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan told a news conference on Friday.
"We have repeatedly announced our readiness to establish relations
with Turkey without any preliminary conditions. During the settlement
process with Turkey, Armenia does not plan to put forth any
preliminary conditions, including the issue of Armenian genocide
recognition," Sargsyan said.
"I believe that Turkey does not view objections to recognition of this
genocide as a preliminary condition. We need to sort out our
relations," the Armenian head said.
Sargsyan said he hopes that the Armenian-Turkish border will be opened
before a football match between the two countries' national teams in
October 2009.
"I think the border will be opened, or we will come close to opening
it, before I go to watch this football match," he said.
Addressing the possibility of Washington recognizing the Armenian
genocide, Sargsyan said that "the U.S. does not need us to decide
whether or not to recognize this genocide."
"We are not making the U.S. recognize the Armenian genocide," he said.
The deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population
in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, during which, according to various
reports, more than 1.5 million people were killed, has been recognized
as an act of genocide by a number of countries. Turkey, however,
refuses to recognize it and demands a solution to the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict based on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
tm dp