Zaman Online, Turkey
May 17 2005
Kocharian Move on Genocide, Karabag Kills Hopes
By Selcuk Gultasli
Published: Tuesday 17, 2005
zaman.com
Armenian President Robert Kocharian has carried the so-called Armenian
genocide allegations to the 3rd European Council summit in Poland.
The summit brought 46 European countries except for Belarus together
for the first time in history and became the scene of the Kocharian
claims. The Armenian President made a suggestion to include the Azeri
land “de facto” Upper Karabag (Karabakh) Republic in Europe. This
move by Kocharian is interpreted as a blow to expectations for
dialogue. In his short speech, the Armenian President said they aim for
international recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide in 1915
and recognition is in harmony with the European values he claimed. In
a written statement handed out to reporters, the statement read, “The
Armenian genocide committed in Ottoman Turkey” took place. He said
his country has commemorated the 90th year of the genocide and offered
thanks to the countries recognizing and condemning the genocide. Polan
as the host of the summit joined those countries before April 24,
the alleged date of the genocide in 1915.
Kocharian in his address also referenced the closed Turkish-Armenian
border and said, they want “a Europe with no blockades and
immigrants”. Touching upon the Upper Karabakh issue as well, the
Armenian President called the inclusion of the Upper Karabakh Republic
in Europe. In recent days, he met with Azerbaijan President Ilham
Aliyev and the meeting was interpreted as an attempt to find a solution
for the issue. Following the meeting, it was revealed that Kocharian’s
statement regarding the Upper Karabakh was met with surprise.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress