PEACE AND STABILITY BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY POSSIBLE ONLY GIVEN NORMAL RELATIONS AND DIALOGUE

YEREVAN, MARCH 28. ARMINFO. Peace and stability between Armenia and
Turkey is possible only if the countries establish normal relations
and dialogue, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan says in an
interview to Turkish Hurriyet.

Oskanyan says that though having problems with some other neighbors
too Turkey has no diplomatic relations only with Armenia. Meanwhile,
the Turkish-Armenian border is internationally accepted political
reality. The reality is that Armenia and Turkey are neighbors and
must live side by side. Besides, Armenia poses no threat to Turkey’s
security and this alone is enough for taking the first steps towards
each other. There are many misconceptions about Turkey ad Armenia which
are due primarily to Turkey’s refusal to have diplomatic relations
with Armenia.

Asked if it was because of the Armenian Diaspora that Armenia
and Turkey have bad relations, Oskanyan says that were it not for
the events of 1915 there would be no Armenian Diaspora at all. And
now Armenia and the Diaspora seek the international recognition and
condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. On the other hand, the closure
of borders and the lack of diplomatic relations are making people
nervous and increasing farther from one another. The Armenian Diaspora
wants Armenia to have good relations with all of its neighbors. Armenia
hopes that Turkey also wants to have good relations with its neighbors
and expects relevant steps from Ankara.

Oskanyan notes that Turkey has not yet responded to Amenian President
Robert Kocharyan’s address to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan
that “a historical commission” can be formed only between countries
having diplomatic relations and open borders and can become part of
a large-scale governmental dialogue.