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  • Serzh Sargsyan: Normal And Right Way Is When Sides Fulfill Their Agr

    SERZH SARGSYAN: NORMAL AND RIGHT WAY IS WHEN SIDES FULFILL THEIR AGREEMENTS

    Noyan Tapan
    Sep 1, 2009

    YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President's Press Office
    has provided to Noyan Tapan the text of President Serzh Sargsyan's
    interview to BBC.

    Below is interview's text:

    BBC correspondent: Mr President, are you leaving for Turkey to watch
    the return game of the two countries' national teams?

    Serzh Sargsyan: You know, this question has two answers. The first
    answer is that my leaving or not is not essential. I mean that we
    can not link leaving for the football match with the relations with
    Turkey. Do you understand?

    Let us imagine at least two variants. Let us suppose that we freeze
    our negotiations with Turkey and I leave for Turkey to watch the
    football match.

    And the second variant: we continue the negotiations but I do not
    leave for Turkey. Which is more important? I mean that if you ask
    your question in the context of negotiations with Turkey and whether
    we can achieve some results by October - my answer will be this.

    BBC correspondent: And what step do you expect from Ankara to disfreeze
    the negotiations?

    Serzh Sargsyan: I have declared that twice and have said the following:
    I will leave for Turkey to watch the football match if our borders
    are already open or if we are on its threshold. That is, if the
    Turks fulfill our agreements, it will be one thing and if they
    do not fulfill, it will be another thing. We have agreements. I
    think the normal and right way is when the sides fulfill their
    agreements. Unfortunately, I have not noticed so far much willingness
    or striving for fulfilling those agreements. Our wish remains the
    same - to establish relations without preconditions.

    BBC correspondent: Are you ready to make compromises in the issue of
    the events of 1915 and in the issue of whether Turkey will recognize
    them as a genocide?

    Serzh Sargsyan: Naturally, it is very important: it is important for
    our people, is important for Turkey and for the whole world. It is
    important that historic justice be restored. It is important that our
    two peoples be able to establish normal relations. It is important,
    lastly, that it not recur in the future. However we do not consider
    the Genocide as a precondition for establishing relations.

    BBC correspondent: That is, there is a possibility of a compromise.

    Serzh Sargsyan: No, it cannot be called a compromise. It is not the
    case when a compromise can be spoken about. We say that yes, there
    has been a Genocide and irrespective of the fact of whether Turkey
    will recognize it or not, it is a fact that has been admitted by
    all specialists engaged in issues of genocides worldwide, has been
    recognized by many countries.

    However in this case we do not consider it a precondition for
    establishing relations with the Turks.

    BBC correspondent: However, in any case, it hinders your relations
    with Turkey. A person, to which I spoke in Yerevan, has made the
    following comparison: when driving a car you should keep control of
    what takes place on the way, behind you, that is why you should look
    back in the mirror from time to time. However, the most important is
    the way laying in front of you.

    How much does this comparison reflect the situation?

    Serzh Sargsyan: It is right. I understand what that man meant. He
    says that we should look at the future. However, he also says that
    we do not have a right to forget the past.
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