ABDULLAH GUL CONSIDERS THAT ISSUES OF OPENING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH
BORDER AND RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE NOT INCLUDED IN EU CRITERIA

YEREVAN, December 17 (Noyan Tapan). The issues of opening of
Armenian-Turkish border and recognition of Armenian Genocide aren’t
included in the EU criteria. Abdullah Gul, Foreign Minister of Turkey,
declared this answering the question of the Yerkir-Media Armenian
TV company. According to the Regnum agency, Gul declared to the TV
company: “These issues are absolutely different. We’ll speak about
these issues separately but they aren’t within the framework of EU.”

Answering the question, when Turkey considers it possible to open the
Armenian-Turkish border, Gul said: “Our region needs development of
cooperation and neighbourly relations. That’s why we attach importance
to settlement of the problems between Armenia and Azerbaijan.” He
expressed hope that “the issue will be solved in peace and will be
closed for ever.” The closure of the issue, according to him, means
“formation of a new atmosphere in the region.”

Gul even made it clear that besides Armenia, the Armenian Diaspora
should also bear the responsibility for the Armenian-Turkish relations:
“I think it is doing wrong complicating Armenia’s business. Turkey is
the most important and largest country of the region, it’s large both
in the respect of number of its population and economic power. So,
we want not only our country but the whole region, including Armenia,
to develop, and peace and security to be established in the whole
region. It’s no use instigating hostility, renewing the issues,
in which the historians should be engaged, and attaching topicality
to these issues. I am sure that the Diaspora also has an important
obligation in this issue.”