Zaman, Turkey
July 21 2004

PM: Border Gates will Open if Genocide Campaigns End

“The Armenian Diaspora is making a mistake by putting the so-called
Armenian genocide on the agenda,” said Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan yesterday in response to a question from a member of
the Commission of Foreign Affairs in the French Parliament about what
Turkey thinks of the Armenian issue.

“Progress on the relationship is difficult to make so long as the
campaigns continue. The border gates will not be opened unless the
campaigns are ended,” emphasized Erdogan. The Prime Minister also
reminded that Yerevan does not recognize the borders of Turkey.

Erdogan is currently in the middle of a three-day official visit to
France.

07.21.2004
Ali Ihsan Aydin
Paris