Turkish MP in favour of opening border with Armenia

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
24 Mar 04

[Presenter] Better times in Armenian-Turkish relations will come very
soon, a Turkish MP and member of the ruling Justice and Development
Party, Salih Kapusuz, said. He is taking part in the 22nd session of
the Committee on Cultural, Educational and Social Affairs of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC),
which opened in the Armenian capital on 24 March. No Azerbaijani
delegation is taking part in the session.

[Correspondent over video of the session] No Azerbaijani delegation is
taking part in the meeting of the PABSEC Committee on Cultural,
Educational and Social Affairs. The vice-chair of the committee said
that the members of the Azerbaijani delegation were too busy in their
own country.

[Dumitru Buzatu, vice-chair of the committee, speaking in French with
Armenian voice-over] The members of the Azerbaijani delegation
notified us a couple of days ago and apologized saying that they
cannot take part in the session because they are too busy in their own
country.

[Correspondent] A Turkish delegation is taking part in the session.

[Salih Kapusuz, head of the Turkish delegation, speaking in Turkish
with Armenian voice-over] Armenia and Turkey are close neighbours and
members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation. Turkey wishes to develop relations with Armenia and we
look to the future with hope. I think that our leadership must not
concentrate on the past and should seek ways of developing future
relations. Our party and leader have set themselves a goal to expand
ties with all the neighbouring countries and you can be sure that
better times will come very soon.

As for the opening of the borders, I believe that positive steps will
be take n and our relations will develop.

Nune Aleksanyan, Aylur.