ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
October 19, 2004 Tuesday
Turkey integration with EU to help Ankara-Yerevan normalization
By Alan Badov
ROME
Turkey’s integration with the European Union will open new vistas in
the normalization of relations between Ankara and Yerevan, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan said at a Tuesday press conference
in Rome.
‘There are no diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia at
present, and the border is closed, which complicates the economic
position of Armenia,” he said.
Yet the foreign minister is skeptical about the Turkish ability to
meet EU accession requirements on time.
Oskanyan also touched upon the situation in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia. “Armenia has direct interest in the stability in Russia’
North Caucasus and peace settlement between Tbilisi, South Ossetia
and Abkhazia,” the minister told Itar-Tass.
He said the Caucasus is a single whole, interests of regional
countries are intertwined, and problems of any country have a
negative effect on others.