NTV MSNBC, Turkey
May 26 2005
Oskanyan calls on the EU
The European Union should put more pressure on Turkey to open its
border with Armenia, The Armenian foreign minister said Thursday.
May 26 – Oskanyan called Turkey’s preconditions «unacceptable.»
Turkey has indicated the countries might establish political ties if
Armenia agreed to join a joint commission to investigate the
killings.
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan called on the EU to be more
assertive and make Ankara open «the last closed border in Europe.»
«It’s the Turkish side that keeps it closed which we do not
understand, and we expect that the EU be more assertive on this
matter, asking Turkey to open the border with Armenia,» he said
during a visit to Helsinki.
Oskanyan, who met with his Finnish counterpart, Erkki Tuomioja,
called Turkey’s preconditions «unacceptable.»
«We have to follow the example of other European countries, there are
hardly any two countries in Europe or anywhere else that do not have
differences in the interpretation of their past. But those things do
not stop them from having normal ties and having diplomatic
relations, trade relations, and communication as neighbours,»
Oskanyan said.
Armenia has previously insisted Turkey should not become an EU member
until it acknowledges genocide. Turkey has indicated the countries
might establish political ties if Armenia agreed to join a joint
commission to investigate the killings.