BAGDASARYAN: HOPES FOR FUTURE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SORROWFUL MEMORIES

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
April 19 2006

Armenia And Turkey Should Negotiate Openly And Freely

BERLIN – “Turkey and Armenia should talk to each other ‘openly and
freely’,” Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Bagdasaryan said on
Wednesday Anatolian Times reported.

In an exclusive interview with German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
newspaper, Bagdasaryan reiterated allegations regarding the “so-called”
genocide, however indicated that, “nonetheless we should not waste our
future because of the past. Hopes for the future are more important
than the sorrowful memories of the past. Turkey also needs this
dialogue.”

Underscoring that he personally favored a dialogue with Turkey,
Bagdasaryan said, “we should sit around a table and resolve our
problems. Of course not all the Armenians share this view.” Turkish
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had also invited the Armenian President
Kocharian to Turkey to discuss the matters between Turkey and
Armenia. Mr. Erdogan also called the Armenian side to establish a
commission to discuss the historical disputes.

The German newspaper said Bagdasaryan is one of the best placed
nominees that may succeed Armenian President Robert Kocharian whose
term in office will expire in 2008.

Similarly Assoc. Prf. Dr. Sedat Laciner, head of Ankara-based
Internationational Strategic Research Organization (USAK), argued
that Turkey and Armenia need each other and they should not waste
the future for the past:

“I do not mean that the past was not important. The past is important,
but today and tomorrow are more important. We have wasted a lot of
time and Armenians should realise that they have gained nothing. They
relied on French, British and Russians, and they lost their peace and
country. They lost their independence, and now they have another state,
Republic of Armenia. Independent Armenia is an opportunity for both
Turks and Armenians. We have reasonable partners now. The states are
not like the radical groups like the Tashnaks.

Turkey and the Armenian diaspora should protect the young Armenian
state. However the radical Armenians in the diaspora undermine
the Armenian state. As a matter of fact that there is a Genocide
Industry. Many Armenians in the diaspora abuses the problems between
Turks and Armenians. They see the problems as source of influence,
money etc. They know that if the Turks and Armenians solve their
problems no one would need them”.