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MFA of Armenia: Minister Oskanian Comments on Turkish Foreign

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  • MFA of Armenia: Minister Oskanian Comments on Turkish Foreign

    MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
    ------------------------------------------ ----
    PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
    Government House # 2, Republic Square
    Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
    Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
    Fax: +37410. 562543
    Email: [email protected]
    www.armeniaforeignministry.am

    PRESS RELEASE
    04-11-2006
    Minister Oskanian Comments on
    Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's Recent Remarks

    We remain amazed that a letter sent by President Kocharian to Prime
    Minister Erdogan in April 2005 remains ignored, simply because the
    Turkish authorities did not like the response contained therein,
    and do not wish to broaden the scope of discussion beyond history.

    President Kocharian clearly said to Prime Minister Erdogan that the
    "suggestion to address the past cannot be effective if it deflects
    from addressing the present and the future. In order to engage in
    a useful dialog, we need to create the appropriate and conducive
    political environment. It is the responsibility of governments to
    develop bilateral relations and we do not have the right to delegate
    that responsibility to historians. That is why we have proposed
    and propose again that, without pre-conditions, we establish normal
    relations between our two countries."

    In that context, President Kocharian said, "an intergovernmental
    commission can meet to discuss any and all outstanding issues between
    our two nations, with the aim of resolving them and coming to an
    understanding."

    Foreign Minister Gul's recent comments to RadioLiberty, insisting that
    the existence of flights between Armenia and Turkey, and of Armenian
    citizens in Turkey, is evidence that 'the borders are essentially open'
    is disingenuous.

    First, the number of Armenians from Armenia living and working in
    Turkey do not approach the numbers he claims. Second, open borders
    assumes direct contacts between peoples, unobstructed relations across
    the border and a functioning transport infrastructure.

    We stand by our response which we consider to be a positive one and
    we wonder whether the Turkish insistence on a historical commission
    is genuine.

    After all, we have in fact agreed to discussions on all issues,
    in the context of open borders.

    Further, so long as Article 301 which criminalizes mere discussion
    of the genocide topic remains on the books in Turkey, an invitation
    to open dialogue cannot be taken seriously. Finally, outside Turkey,
    scholars - Armenians, Turks and others - have studied these issues
    and have reached their own independent conclusions. The most notable
    among these is the May 2006 letter to Prime Minister Erdogan by the
    International Assn of Genocide Scholars wherein they collectively and
    unanimously affirmed the fact of the Genocide and called on the Turkish
    government to acknowledge the responsibility of a previous government.

    In light of these complex realities, we can only repeat our readiness
    to enter into dialogue and normal relations with our neighbor.
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