Tweet
Arman Kirakosyan: No improvement observed in Armenian-Turkish relations
By Marlena Hovsepyan
09.02.2007 16:27
"Radiolur"
Notwithstanding the international atmosphere established after the
assassination of Hrant Dink, no improvement has been registered in
Armenian-Turkish relations. This was the conclusion that could be
drawn from Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan's words.
A meeting of solidarity: this is how Arman Kirakosyan called Dink's
funeral, which he personally attended. The feelings of common people
were really impressing, says the official: "The uniting force was
Hrant's struggle for democratization and human rights."
Arman Kirakosyan's impression from the meetings with Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul and the Chairman of the General Directorate of
Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was that the
Turkish Government is willing to improve relations with Armenia.
What is the state of Armenian-Turkish relations today? What do we
anticipate? In this regard, the positions of the countries have
not changed: Turkey suggests preconditions, while the Armenian
side proposes to establish relations without any preconditions.
"Our position is as follows: to reach reconciliation through
cooperation, while the Turkish Government suggests cooperation and
opening of borders only after discussion and clarification of the
genocide issue," he said.
Turkey sees the settlement of the Karabakh conflict as the main
precondition for opening the Turkish-Armenian border, Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared one of these days.
Yesterday the agreement on construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki railway
was signed inn Tbilisi. What is the stance of official Yerevan on
the question? " Certainly, it is a very important issue for our
diplomacy, and we are working in that direction, said the Deputy
Foreign Minister. The project is the continuation of the Turkish
policy, which is targeted at the isolation of Armenia in every possible
way. "During the negotiations we have been insisting on opening the
border and exploiting the railway. We shall continue working in this
direction. At lest, there will be no financing for the project from
international organizations and the world powers," he said.
Despite the fact that in the past the US opposed the construction
of the railway, the American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
Matthew Bryza declared recently that the US neither supports nor
opposes the project. Isn't the shift of position connected with the
Russian-American cold war that started lately? Arman Kirakosyan does
not think there is a cold war between the two superpowers, clash of
interests always exists. "I think with its balanced foreign relations
Armenia will come out victor and will try to escape from geopolitical
difficulties," said the Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister.
By Marlena Hovsepyan
09.02.2007 16:27
"Radiolur"
Notwithstanding the international atmosphere established after the
assassination of Hrant Dink, no improvement has been registered in
Armenian-Turkish relations. This was the conclusion that could be
drawn from Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan's words.
A meeting of solidarity: this is how Arman Kirakosyan called Dink's
funeral, which he personally attended. The feelings of common people
were really impressing, says the official: "The uniting force was
Hrant's struggle for democratization and human rights."
Arman Kirakosyan's impression from the meetings with Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul and the Chairman of the General Directorate of
Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was that the
Turkish Government is willing to improve relations with Armenia.
What is the state of Armenian-Turkish relations today? What do we
anticipate? In this regard, the positions of the countries have
not changed: Turkey suggests preconditions, while the Armenian
side proposes to establish relations without any preconditions.
"Our position is as follows: to reach reconciliation through
cooperation, while the Turkish Government suggests cooperation and
opening of borders only after discussion and clarification of the
genocide issue," he said.
Turkey sees the settlement of the Karabakh conflict as the main
precondition for opening the Turkish-Armenian border, Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared one of these days.
Yesterday the agreement on construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki railway
was signed inn Tbilisi. What is the stance of official Yerevan on
the question? " Certainly, it is a very important issue for our
diplomacy, and we are working in that direction, said the Deputy
Foreign Minister. The project is the continuation of the Turkish
policy, which is targeted at the isolation of Armenia in every possible
way. "During the negotiations we have been insisting on opening the
border and exploiting the railway. We shall continue working in this
direction. At lest, there will be no financing for the project from
international organizations and the world powers," he said.
Despite the fact that in the past the US opposed the construction
of the railway, the American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
Matthew Bryza declared recently that the US neither supports nor
opposes the project. Isn't the shift of position connected with the
Russian-American cold war that started lately? Arman Kirakosyan does
not think there is a cold war between the two superpowers, clash of
interests always exists. "I think with its balanced foreign relations
Armenia will come out victor and will try to escape from geopolitical
difficulties," said the Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister.