Interfax, Russia
May 4 2011
Armenia wants normalization of relations with Turkey without
preconditions - President Sargsyan
YEREVAN. May 4
Armenia wants normalization of its relations with Turkey without
preconditions, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at a joint press
conference with Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey in Bern on
Tuesday.
"Our desire is to establish relations with Turkey without
preconditions. However, high-ranking Turkish officials are
unfortunately doing all they can so that Armenia loses this desire.
Instead of making practical steps toward ratifying the
Armenian-Turkish protocols that have been signed, Turkey is continuing
its nearsighted policy aimed at splitting Armenia and the Armenian
diaspora," Yerevan-based media cited Sargsyan as saying.
The longer Turkey continues these efforts, the lower Armenia's
confidence in the normalization process will be, he said.
"I am perplexed to see that Turkey does not realize the fact that the
Armenian diaspora, which came into being as a result of the genocide,
is an inseparable part of Armenia," Sargsyan said.
The recognition of the Armenian genocide by any country is not an
obstacle to the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, he said.
"The recognition of the Armenian genocide by Switzerland did not
prevent this country from playing a mediating role in normalizing
relations between Armenia and Turkey. This example of Switzerland
should be instructive for other countries as well," Sargsyan said.
The Armenian president is visiting Switzerland to attend the 25th
international book and press fair in Geneva.
va eb
From: A. Papazian
May 4 2011
Armenia wants normalization of relations with Turkey without
preconditions - President Sargsyan
YEREVAN. May 4
Armenia wants normalization of its relations with Turkey without
preconditions, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at a joint press
conference with Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey in Bern on
Tuesday.
"Our desire is to establish relations with Turkey without
preconditions. However, high-ranking Turkish officials are
unfortunately doing all they can so that Armenia loses this desire.
Instead of making practical steps toward ratifying the
Armenian-Turkish protocols that have been signed, Turkey is continuing
its nearsighted policy aimed at splitting Armenia and the Armenian
diaspora," Yerevan-based media cited Sargsyan as saying.
The longer Turkey continues these efforts, the lower Armenia's
confidence in the normalization process will be, he said.
"I am perplexed to see that Turkey does not realize the fact that the
Armenian diaspora, which came into being as a result of the genocide,
is an inseparable part of Armenia," Sargsyan said.
The recognition of the Armenian genocide by any country is not an
obstacle to the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, he said.
"The recognition of the Armenian genocide by Switzerland did not
prevent this country from playing a mediating role in normalizing
relations between Armenia and Turkey. This example of Switzerland
should be instructive for other countries as well," Sargsyan said.
The Armenian president is visiting Switzerland to attend the 25th
international book and press fair in Geneva.
va eb
From: A. Papazian