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BAKU: Sarkisian Warns Of Canceling Turkey Visit

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  • BAKU: Sarkisian Warns Of Canceling Turkey Visit

    SARKISIAN WARNS OF CANCELING TURKEY VISIT

    AzerNews Weekly
    April 29 2009
    Azerbaijan

    Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has indicated that he could postpone
    his October visit to Turkey, where he is scheduled to attend a soccer
    match of the two countries` national teams, if the two countries`
    shared border does not open by then.

    "If, by that time, the border does open or is very close to opening,
    I will gladly accept President Gul`s invitation," Sarkisian told the
    English-language Russia Today TV channel.

    Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 due to its occupation of
    Azerbaijani territories and Armenian claims regarding the alleged World
    War I-era genocide. However, there have been signs of normalization
    in Ankara-Yerevan ties in recent years. The two countries` leaders
    attended a 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match together in Yerevan
    in September 2008 when Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish president
    to visit Armenia. Further, Gul invited his Armenian counterpart to
    Turkey for a return game.

    The Armenian leader noted that Yerevan and Ankara face differences
    over the alleged genocide issue, but claimed that Turkey`s rejecting
    the allegations on mass killings in the Ottoman Empire are not a
    hurdle to establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries. "We
    support forging ties with Turkey without pre-conditions."

    In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Sarkisian said he "had no
    intentions to travel to Turkey merely as a tourist or a football fan."

    Commenting on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s recent
    statement that the border opening was out of the question until
    the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict has been
    resolved, Sarkisian claimed that the statement "is not in line with
    our agreement." He added that Yerevan`s stance on the Garabagh conflict
    will not change after the Turkey-Armenia border opens.

    Recent media reports claiming Turkey plans to soon open its border with
    Armenia have sparked an outcry in Azerbaijan. However, the Turkish
    premier followed up by saying that Ankara would not take this step
    defying Azerbaijan`s interests, somewhat allaying Baku`s concerns.

    Further, the Armenian president said that during talks he held
    during a recent visit to Moscow, he witnessed Russia`s backing of
    the border opening.

    Sarkisian emphasized that the US government was making significant
    efforts in this area. He also claimed that Washington "would recognize
    the Armenian genocide at the time it deems appropriate."
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