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TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA URGES ARMENIA TO STOP ITS GROUNDLESS TERRITORIAL CLAIMS TO SEVERAL COUNTRIES
Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 31 2007
Russia, Moscow / Òrend corr R. Agayev / In a statement made during
a press conference marking the 84th Anniversary of the Turkish
Republic, Kurtulush Tashkent, the Turkish Ambassador to Russia
stated: "When Armenia announced its independence in 1991, Turkey
was one of the first countries to recognize it. However, Armenia's
Declaration of Independence and Constitution made territorial
claims over certain eastern regions of Turkey. Shortly thereafter,
the events in Nagorno-Karabakh commenced and as a result, Armenia
now occupies 20% of Azerbaijani lands, making diplomatic relations
impossible to establish. I hope there will be favourable conditions
to re-establish political relations between Turkey and Armenia
and to develop them. Certainly, in order to resume normal good
neighbourly relations, Armenia should remove from its Constitution
and Declaration of Independence the groundless claiming of territories
in its neighbouring countries."
The Ambassador noted that currently between 50,000 and 60,000
Armenian citizens work in Turkey illegally, but Turkey turns a blind
eye to that. Over 100 flights from Armenia are made via Turkish air
corridors every month, allowing Armenia greater access to Europe and
other countries.
Regarding the assassination of Grant Dink and the exaggeration of the
alleged Armenian genocide of 1915, Tashkent said that Grant Dink's
death shocked Turkey and caused regret in the nation. The assassin
is currently on trial and awaiting sentencing. "As for the events of
1915 and World War I, they are open for debate in any forum and are
openly discussed at Turkish Universities and in the media. In 2005,
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan offered Armenian President Kocharian an
opportunity to jointly study the archives of Turkey, Armenia and other
countries and then to share the results with the world's community,
for the purpose of revealing the truth and removing this issue as an
obstacle between the two countries' bilateral relations.
But President Kocharyan refused," he said.
Addressing Turkey's position on unresolved conflicts in Georgia
and Azerbaijan, Tashkent stressed that Turkey believes the issue
should be resolved by observing territorial integrity and democratic
principles. "Territorial integrity and the sacredness of frontiers
are imperative stability principles both in our region and the entire
world," the Ambassador said.
--Boundary_(ID_WZMo7ws2YvChvG1KGu9V3Q)--
Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 31 2007
Russia, Moscow / Òrend corr R. Agayev / In a statement made during
a press conference marking the 84th Anniversary of the Turkish
Republic, Kurtulush Tashkent, the Turkish Ambassador to Russia
stated: "When Armenia announced its independence in 1991, Turkey
was one of the first countries to recognize it. However, Armenia's
Declaration of Independence and Constitution made territorial
claims over certain eastern regions of Turkey. Shortly thereafter,
the events in Nagorno-Karabakh commenced and as a result, Armenia
now occupies 20% of Azerbaijani lands, making diplomatic relations
impossible to establish. I hope there will be favourable conditions
to re-establish political relations between Turkey and Armenia
and to develop them. Certainly, in order to resume normal good
neighbourly relations, Armenia should remove from its Constitution
and Declaration of Independence the groundless claiming of territories
in its neighbouring countries."
The Ambassador noted that currently between 50,000 and 60,000
Armenian citizens work in Turkey illegally, but Turkey turns a blind
eye to that. Over 100 flights from Armenia are made via Turkish air
corridors every month, allowing Armenia greater access to Europe and
other countries.
Regarding the assassination of Grant Dink and the exaggeration of the
alleged Armenian genocide of 1915, Tashkent said that Grant Dink's
death shocked Turkey and caused regret in the nation. The assassin
is currently on trial and awaiting sentencing. "As for the events of
1915 and World War I, they are open for debate in any forum and are
openly discussed at Turkish Universities and in the media. In 2005,
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan offered Armenian President Kocharian an
opportunity to jointly study the archives of Turkey, Armenia and other
countries and then to share the results with the world's community,
for the purpose of revealing the truth and removing this issue as an
obstacle between the two countries' bilateral relations.
But President Kocharyan refused," he said.
Addressing Turkey's position on unresolved conflicts in Georgia
and Azerbaijan, Tashkent stressed that Turkey believes the issue
should be resolved by observing territorial integrity and democratic
principles. "Territorial integrity and the sacredness of frontiers
are imperative stability principles both in our region and the entire
world," the Ambassador said.
--Boundary_(ID_WZMo7ws2YvChvG1KGu9V3Q)--