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THERE IS ALTERNATIVE OPTION TO START NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS: EXPERT
/ARKA/
December 29, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, December 29, /ARKA/. An Armenian expert in Turkic issues
said today some U.S.-based think-tanks are considering an alternative
option to press for normalization of Armenia-Turkish relationships.
Speaking at a news conference Artak Shakarian said the alternative
option calls for reopening of Armenia-Turkey railroad instead of
opening the border.
In his words, this is a question that does not require much adjustment,
except for an accord between foreign ministers of both countries and
ratification of two protocols which were signed in 2009 October in
Zurich by Armenia and Turkey to normalize their relations and open
the border.
According to him, in return Turkey would demand that Armenia lift the
blockade of Azerbaijani autonomous region of Nakhichevan, which he
described as a Turkish province due to strong Turkish presence there.
Shakarian said the railway communication may run from Turkish Kars to
Nakhichevan and from there to Armenian Masis. He said the resumption
of railroad communication depends largely on Turkish prime minister
Recep Erdogan.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became
independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Turkey closed its border
with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for its ally, Azerbaijan,
which had a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic
Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan.
There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of
normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara's
blatant support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
resolution process and Turkey's refusal to acknowledge the mass
killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as
a genocide.
Long strained relations between Armenia and Turkey took a major
step forward on October 10, 2009, when Armenian foreign minister
Eduard Nalbandian and Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Devutoglu signed
protocols on establishing diplomatic relations and developing bilateral
relations. But on April 23 this year Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan
signed a decree putting a hold on ratification of Armenian-Turkish
protocols, blaming Turkey fro delaying the protocols' ratification
by its parliament.
From: A. Papazian
/ARKA/
December 29, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, December 29, /ARKA/. An Armenian expert in Turkic issues
said today some U.S.-based think-tanks are considering an alternative
option to press for normalization of Armenia-Turkish relationships.
Speaking at a news conference Artak Shakarian said the alternative
option calls for reopening of Armenia-Turkey railroad instead of
opening the border.
In his words, this is a question that does not require much adjustment,
except for an accord between foreign ministers of both countries and
ratification of two protocols which were signed in 2009 October in
Zurich by Armenia and Turkey to normalize their relations and open
the border.
According to him, in return Turkey would demand that Armenia lift the
blockade of Azerbaijani autonomous region of Nakhichevan, which he
described as a Turkish province due to strong Turkish presence there.
Shakarian said the railway communication may run from Turkish Kars to
Nakhichevan and from there to Armenian Masis. He said the resumption
of railroad communication depends largely on Turkish prime minister
Recep Erdogan.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became
independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Turkey closed its border
with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for its ally, Azerbaijan,
which had a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic
Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan.
There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of
normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara's
blatant support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
resolution process and Turkey's refusal to acknowledge the mass
killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as
a genocide.
Long strained relations between Armenia and Turkey took a major
step forward on October 10, 2009, when Armenian foreign minister
Eduard Nalbandian and Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Devutoglu signed
protocols on establishing diplomatic relations and developing bilateral
relations. But on April 23 this year Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan
signed a decree putting a hold on ratification of Armenian-Turkish
protocols, blaming Turkey fro delaying the protocols' ratification
by its parliament.
From: A. Papazian