Kocharian not to Assert ‘Genocide Condition’

Zaman, Turkey
Nov 20 2004

Armenian President Robert Kocharian wants Turkey to end it’s isolation
of Armenia and open the border gates, which have been closed for 11
years. He did not see the Armenian genocide claims as a provision to
start bilateral negotiations.

In an interview with Die Welt, Kocharian said, “Turkey’s application
of blockade towards Armenia; this is called harassment.”

Turkey’s recognition of a so-called genocide is not a condition
to begin normalizing relations. Determining that “genocide”, which
allegedly took place in 1915, was a significant issue for Armenians,
Kocharian continued, “However this will never be a condition to
develop bilateral negotiations”. If Ankara recognizes this reality,
it will be another step toward a normalization of relations.

Kocharian, who is currently in Germany, disclosed in a seminar titled,
“The EU and CIS: Key of the New Economic Cooperation”, that the
opportunity had appeared for a reconciliation between Turkish and
Armenian relations. Turkey closed it’s border gates with Armenia in
1993 because of the Nagarno Karabagh conflict between Azerbaijan and
Armenia and the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

Although Turkey wants to normalize its relations with Armenia,
relations cannot be reconstructed yet because Armenia has made no
attempts toward solving its dispute with Azerbaijan. Armenia also
does not recognize the 1921 Kars Agreement, which determined the
Armenian-Turkish border.