Armenian foreign minister, French delegation discuss cooperation issues

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
29 Apr 05

[Presenter] Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan today received
the president of the General Council of the Bouches-du-Rhone
Prefecture, Senator Jean-Noel Guerini, the deputies of the French
National Assembly, Christophe Masse and Richard Mallie, as well as a
member of the European Parliament, Marie-Arlette Carlotti.

Oskanyan gave a positive assessment of a number of educational and
health programmes of the General Council of the Bouches-du-Rhone
Prefecture, which are being successfully implemented in Armenian
regions.

The sides discussed issues of developing the South Caucasus, the
opportunities opened by the European Union’s New Neighbourhood Policy
in this direction, Armenian-Turkish relations and Armenia’s prospects.

Turkey’s membership of the European Union can be discussed only when
Turkey recognizes the Armenian genocide, the president of the General
Council of the Bouches-du-Rhone Prefecture said. Carlotti said that
Turkey has some unsolved problems related to democracy, including
responsibility for what it did in the past.

Richard Mallie said that Turkey should lift the blockade of Armenia
after recognizing the Armenian genocide.

[Passage omitted: Details of educational and health programmes
implemented in Armenia]

[Video showed the meeting]