Tweet
TURKEY HAS LIED FOR 99 YEARS - ARMENIA MFA
July 10, 2014 | 00:26
Turkey is to blame for the failure to advance in the normalization
of ties with Armenia because the government of Recep Erdogan demands
"impossible" pre-conditions, the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian told the Buenos Aires Herald during a visit to the Argentine
capital city.
"Our president attempted to normalize relations between our two
countries. We agreed on two protocols to normalize our relations,
including the establishment of diplomatic relations. Unfortunately,
after the signing ceremony -- which took place in Zurich in October,
2009 -- the Turkish Parliament hasn't been able to ratify and implement
agreements and Turkey is now coming up with new pre-conditions,"
Nalbandian said.
Nalbandian is part of the delegation that accompanied Armenia
President Serzh Sargsyan to Argentina, where the two participated in
the inauguration of the Museum of Armenian Genocide, the first of its
kind outside Armenian borders. According to Nalbandian, the opening
of the museum "is a very important step and we appreciated it very
much, as well as the recognition of the genocide (by the Argentine
government) through a special law."
Why is it so important for Armenians that the international community
acknowledges the genocide? "It was the first genocide of the 20th
century. And unfortunately, the fact that it was not recognized by
the international community at the time made it possible for other
genocides to take place. So we feel a responsibility as a people
who suffered the first genocide in the 20th century not to allow new
crimes against humanity in the future," Nalbandian responded.
Regarding Turkey's refusal to acknowledge the scale of the killings,
the Foreign Minister said that "it has less to do with the reparations
that the Turkish state would have to pay to Armenian families (of
victims), than with the fact that it is difficult to look at your
own people in the eye and say: 'we've been lying to you for 99 years.'"
Armenians around the world will commemorate the 100th anniversary of
the massacre next year and Nalbandian said he was confident "that
many countries in the world will express their solidarity to the
Armenian people."
News from Armenia - NEWS.am
July 10, 2014 | 00:26
Turkey is to blame for the failure to advance in the normalization
of ties with Armenia because the government of Recep Erdogan demands
"impossible" pre-conditions, the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian told the Buenos Aires Herald during a visit to the Argentine
capital city.
"Our president attempted to normalize relations between our two
countries. We agreed on two protocols to normalize our relations,
including the establishment of diplomatic relations. Unfortunately,
after the signing ceremony -- which took place in Zurich in October,
2009 -- the Turkish Parliament hasn't been able to ratify and implement
agreements and Turkey is now coming up with new pre-conditions,"
Nalbandian said.
Nalbandian is part of the delegation that accompanied Armenia
President Serzh Sargsyan to Argentina, where the two participated in
the inauguration of the Museum of Armenian Genocide, the first of its
kind outside Armenian borders. According to Nalbandian, the opening
of the museum "is a very important step and we appreciated it very
much, as well as the recognition of the genocide (by the Argentine
government) through a special law."
Why is it so important for Armenians that the international community
acknowledges the genocide? "It was the first genocide of the 20th
century. And unfortunately, the fact that it was not recognized by
the international community at the time made it possible for other
genocides to take place. So we feel a responsibility as a people
who suffered the first genocide in the 20th century not to allow new
crimes against humanity in the future," Nalbandian responded.
Regarding Turkey's refusal to acknowledge the scale of the killings,
the Foreign Minister said that "it has less to do with the reparations
that the Turkish state would have to pay to Armenian families (of
victims), than with the fact that it is difficult to look at your
own people in the eye and say: 'we've been lying to you for 99 years.'"
Armenians around the world will commemorate the 100th anniversary of
the massacre next year and Nalbandian said he was confident "that
many countries in the world will express their solidarity to the
Armenian people."
News from Armenia - NEWS.am