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EDWARD NALBANDIAN: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES WILL NEVER SCHEME ANYTHING BEHIND PEOPLE'S BACK
news.am
Jan 18 2010
Armenia
"The verdict returned by the Constitutional Court is in harmony with
the statements made by the Armenian President both in the country
and during his pan-Armenian tour and in his message on October 10,"
RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated in his interview with
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Responding to a question as to whether he is ware of Turkey's attempts
to delay the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols until
this April or even further, Nalbandian said: "This is a most primitive
approach. I do not think it can be said so - until April or later. I
think that the Turkish side is well aware that the April 2010 is not
the last April in this world."
Commenting on Turkish President Abdullah Gul's statement that most
active, but secret diplomatic work is being carried out with Armenia,
and Russia, being a pivotal state, is involved in the process as well,
and that something is being prepared behind the scenes, Nalbandian
said: "If, considering these statements, anyone thinks that anything
is being schemed against us, I can state with confidence that the
Armenian authorities will never scheme anything behind the people's
back. We say the facts - we have been doing it since the process
was launched and will do it in future. With the Turkish leaders we
discussed only the issues of Armenian-Turkish relations. No other
issues are on the agenda."
Speaking of the point on an Armenian-Turkish subcommittee of historians
viewed by many as an attempt to challenge the fact of the Armenian
Genocide, Minister Nalbandian said: "Armenia has never challenged the
Armenians Genocide and the importance of its international recognition
nor will it ever do so. Some persons must have failed to notice those
statements. They must also have failed to notice the statements that
the subcommittee will deal with re-establishing mutual understanding
and confidence between the two nations. They must have failed to
notice my statement about the efforts to get the Armenian Genocide
recognized by the U.S. Congress."
As regards a statement by Speaker of the RA Parliament Hovik
Abrahamyan that Armenia will take steps unless Turkey ratified the
Armenian-Turkish protocols within a reasonable time frame and whether
Armenia may pull out from the negotiations, Minister Nalbandian said:
"If we believe the statements made by the opponents, Turkey should
have ratified the protocols immediately. It is obvious that it was we
that launched, carried out the process and reached agreements and that
the process is without any preconditions. If any preconditions had
existed, we would not have launched the process or reached agreements.
At present the Turkish Premier says the protocols do not contain
any preconditions, and suddenly adds that some preconditions may be
behind the scenes, under the table or behind the back. The Russian
leaders recently gave an excellent response to them. The U.S. leaders
responded as well. France responded too. All the sides' approaches
are obvious and similar. Remember the statement by the U.N. Secretary
General, EU top officials stated the same. If one of the sides delays,
it means it assumes the full responsibility if the process fails."
Minister also addressed the risks the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish
border may pose, as well as the consequences. "This is all the states
normally practice in their relations with other states by means
of customs, tax, economic, and other means of ensuring security,"
Nalbandian said.
news.am
Jan 18 2010
Armenia
"The verdict returned by the Constitutional Court is in harmony with
the statements made by the Armenian President both in the country
and during his pan-Armenian tour and in his message on October 10,"
RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated in his interview with
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Responding to a question as to whether he is ware of Turkey's attempts
to delay the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols until
this April or even further, Nalbandian said: "This is a most primitive
approach. I do not think it can be said so - until April or later. I
think that the Turkish side is well aware that the April 2010 is not
the last April in this world."
Commenting on Turkish President Abdullah Gul's statement that most
active, but secret diplomatic work is being carried out with Armenia,
and Russia, being a pivotal state, is involved in the process as well,
and that something is being prepared behind the scenes, Nalbandian
said: "If, considering these statements, anyone thinks that anything
is being schemed against us, I can state with confidence that the
Armenian authorities will never scheme anything behind the people's
back. We say the facts - we have been doing it since the process
was launched and will do it in future. With the Turkish leaders we
discussed only the issues of Armenian-Turkish relations. No other
issues are on the agenda."
Speaking of the point on an Armenian-Turkish subcommittee of historians
viewed by many as an attempt to challenge the fact of the Armenian
Genocide, Minister Nalbandian said: "Armenia has never challenged the
Armenians Genocide and the importance of its international recognition
nor will it ever do so. Some persons must have failed to notice those
statements. They must also have failed to notice the statements that
the subcommittee will deal with re-establishing mutual understanding
and confidence between the two nations. They must have failed to
notice my statement about the efforts to get the Armenian Genocide
recognized by the U.S. Congress."
As regards a statement by Speaker of the RA Parliament Hovik
Abrahamyan that Armenia will take steps unless Turkey ratified the
Armenian-Turkish protocols within a reasonable time frame and whether
Armenia may pull out from the negotiations, Minister Nalbandian said:
"If we believe the statements made by the opponents, Turkey should
have ratified the protocols immediately. It is obvious that it was we
that launched, carried out the process and reached agreements and that
the process is without any preconditions. If any preconditions had
existed, we would not have launched the process or reached agreements.
At present the Turkish Premier says the protocols do not contain
any preconditions, and suddenly adds that some preconditions may be
behind the scenes, under the table or behind the back. The Russian
leaders recently gave an excellent response to them. The U.S. leaders
responded as well. France responded too. All the sides' approaches
are obvious and similar. Remember the statement by the U.N. Secretary
General, EU top officials stated the same. If one of the sides delays,
it means it assumes the full responsibility if the process fails."
Minister also addressed the risks the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish
border may pose, as well as the consequences. "This is all the states
normally practice in their relations with other states by means
of customs, tax, economic, and other means of ensuring security,"
Nalbandian said.