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SARGSYAN SAYS LACK OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH NORMALIZATION VULNERABLE ELEMENT OF PAN-EUROPEAN SECURITY"
http://armenianow.com/news/53900/armenia_eastern_partnership_president_serzh_sargsy an_turkey
NEWS | 25.04.14 | 10:18
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan again accused Turkey of keeping its
border with Armenia closed as well as addressed Ankara's Genocide
denial policies as he spoke to other participants in a high-level
meeting on Thursday held on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of
the Eastern Partnership.
"The lack of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and
last closed border of Europe continue to be a vulnerable element of
the Pan-European security. It is paradoxical but nevertheless matter
of fact that the EU membership aspiring Turkey sealed off its border
with a neighboring country, while the borders within European Union
have long become history and free movement is a basic principle,"
said Sargsyan at the meeting in Prague on April 24.
"Today I embarked on the road to Prague from the Armenian Genocide
Memorial, where I paid tribute to the memory of the innocent victims
of the Armenian Genocide. On April 24, 1915 in Constantinople hundreds
of Armenian intellectuals - writers, artists, doctors, public figures
- were detained and slaughtered in accordance with a premeditated
criminal plan devised and meticulously implemented by the Ottoman
state structures, and thus had been launched what was designated
in the human history as the first genocide of the 20th century,"
the Armenian leader said.
"Today I would like to enunciate a word of gratitude to those states,
organizations and individuals, who extended their hand to support
us at the times of our national tragedy, recognized and condemned
the Armenian Genocide. Time constraint does not act as a statutory
limitation for the crime of genocide, and with the Armenian Genocide
Centenary ahead I would like to reiterate the importance of the
international community's recognition and condemnation of that
unprecedented crime."
According to Sargsyan, despite striving for an EU membership Turkey
continues to avoid its own past, circumvent responsibility, and for
decades on has been falsifying history by pursuing policy of denial.
"Moreover, it spares no effort in order to force by all means upon
other nations its denialism," he added.
"Today, thousands of Turkish citizens, whose numbers grow from year
to year in spite of persecution and prosecution, repudiate Turkey's
policy of denial and stand by truth. Collating with one's own history
and understanding its consequences are important prerequisites for
reconciliation. We believe that encouraging people to people contacts
is another important prerequisite for reconciliation. Unfortunately,
it is almost impossible since there are artificial impediments,
and the border is closed."
In his speech, the Armenian leader also spoke about the process of
reforms carried out within the framework of Eastern Partnership,
stressing that they have "significantly consolidated Armenia's
democratic development."
"Tangible progress has been registered in the fight against corruption,
free and fair elections, ensuring free economic competition,
improvement of transparent functioning of the state structures,
safeguarding independence of judiciary and development of civil
society. By the same token we are fully aware that we still have
a lot to do in order to establish a real democracy of the European
kind," said Sargsyan. "I consider encouragement of people to people
contacts to be pivotal achievement in the framework of the Eastern
Partnership. In this regard I would like to specify the progress
registered in the area of entry visas, which is being proved by forming
new legal framework for the facilitation of the citizens' contacts
and exchanges. The visa facilitation and readmission agreements are
already in force."
In his remarks the Armenian leader also touched upon the Ukrainian
crisis, saying that it has demonstrated that "lack of understanding of
the root causes of the current situation can call further proceeding
of the Eastern Partnership into question."
"Armenia joined the Eastern Partnership with a deep conviction that
it is not directed against any third country. We remain of that same
conviction. This initiative has got all prerequisites to become not
a separating wall but a bridge that connects. It is necessary to find
solutions by means of a dialogue that take into account interests of
all regional beneficiaries," Sargsyan concluded.
http://armenianow.com/news/53900/armenia_eastern_partnership_president_serzh_sargsy an_turkey
NEWS | 25.04.14 | 10:18
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan again accused Turkey of keeping its
border with Armenia closed as well as addressed Ankara's Genocide
denial policies as he spoke to other participants in a high-level
meeting on Thursday held on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of
the Eastern Partnership.
"The lack of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and
last closed border of Europe continue to be a vulnerable element of
the Pan-European security. It is paradoxical but nevertheless matter
of fact that the EU membership aspiring Turkey sealed off its border
with a neighboring country, while the borders within European Union
have long become history and free movement is a basic principle,"
said Sargsyan at the meeting in Prague on April 24.
"Today I embarked on the road to Prague from the Armenian Genocide
Memorial, where I paid tribute to the memory of the innocent victims
of the Armenian Genocide. On April 24, 1915 in Constantinople hundreds
of Armenian intellectuals - writers, artists, doctors, public figures
- were detained and slaughtered in accordance with a premeditated
criminal plan devised and meticulously implemented by the Ottoman
state structures, and thus had been launched what was designated
in the human history as the first genocide of the 20th century,"
the Armenian leader said.
"Today I would like to enunciate a word of gratitude to those states,
organizations and individuals, who extended their hand to support
us at the times of our national tragedy, recognized and condemned
the Armenian Genocide. Time constraint does not act as a statutory
limitation for the crime of genocide, and with the Armenian Genocide
Centenary ahead I would like to reiterate the importance of the
international community's recognition and condemnation of that
unprecedented crime."
According to Sargsyan, despite striving for an EU membership Turkey
continues to avoid its own past, circumvent responsibility, and for
decades on has been falsifying history by pursuing policy of denial.
"Moreover, it spares no effort in order to force by all means upon
other nations its denialism," he added.
"Today, thousands of Turkish citizens, whose numbers grow from year
to year in spite of persecution and prosecution, repudiate Turkey's
policy of denial and stand by truth. Collating with one's own history
and understanding its consequences are important prerequisites for
reconciliation. We believe that encouraging people to people contacts
is another important prerequisite for reconciliation. Unfortunately,
it is almost impossible since there are artificial impediments,
and the border is closed."
In his speech, the Armenian leader also spoke about the process of
reforms carried out within the framework of Eastern Partnership,
stressing that they have "significantly consolidated Armenia's
democratic development."
"Tangible progress has been registered in the fight against corruption,
free and fair elections, ensuring free economic competition,
improvement of transparent functioning of the state structures,
safeguarding independence of judiciary and development of civil
society. By the same token we are fully aware that we still have
a lot to do in order to establish a real democracy of the European
kind," said Sargsyan. "I consider encouragement of people to people
contacts to be pivotal achievement in the framework of the Eastern
Partnership. In this regard I would like to specify the progress
registered in the area of entry visas, which is being proved by forming
new legal framework for the facilitation of the citizens' contacts
and exchanges. The visa facilitation and readmission agreements are
already in force."
In his remarks the Armenian leader also touched upon the Ukrainian
crisis, saying that it has demonstrated that "lack of understanding of
the root causes of the current situation can call further proceeding
of the Eastern Partnership into question."
"Armenia joined the Eastern Partnership with a deep conviction that
it is not directed against any third country. We remain of that same
conviction. This initiative has got all prerequisites to become not
a separating wall but a bridge that connects. It is necessary to find
solutions by means of a dialogue that take into account interests of
all regional beneficiaries," Sargsyan concluded.