Ex-Armenian Foreign Minister Says His Country’s Being Russian Stronghold In Caucasus Is Key Problem

Baku Today 05/06/2004 13:59

A former chief Armenian diplomat said on Friday that Russiaâ^À^Ùs
retaining strong influence in Armenia is the main stumbling block
preventing the country from forging relationship with Turkey.

“The republic’s key problem is that Armenia is the Russian stronghold
in the region and Russian troops are guarding Armenia-Turkey borders,”
Yerevan’s A1 Plus television quoted Alexander Arzumanyan, ex-Armenian
foreign minister and a member of former Armenian-Turkish commission,
as saying.

Arzumanyan said at a discussion dedicated to Armenian-Turkish borders
organized by Youth Conservative Party that the Collective Security
Treaty Armenia has joined is not in the country’s interests.

“I wonder why Armenia has joined Collective Security Treaty while not
a single of its four neighbors are the Treaty members.” Arzumanyan
said, according to A1 Plus.

The former diplomat maintained that Armenia should join such security
systems where Turkey, Iran, Georgia and Azerbaijan are also included.

He also blamed Armenia’s current authorities for making statements
approving the border-opening idea without any precondition but,
in fact, putting forward own demands.

“Closed border means blockade. It means a state of war with
the neighboring country,” Arzumanyan said, suggesting that the
Armenian-Turkish relationship can be improved only by the join efforts
of the two countries.

Turkey must recognize and condemn the purported fact of Armenian
Genocide and Armenia, for its part, should support Turkey in its
aspiration to join Europea n Union, Arzumanyan said.