Vartan Oskanian: Armenia does not mind Turkey’s accession to the EU

ArmRadio.am
21.10.2006 12:07

Turkey’s behavior regarding the adoption of the bill penalizing
the Armenian Genocide denial is not sincere for a country having a
point restricting freedom of speech in its Constitution, RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said in an interview with the "International
Herald Tribune."

Oskanian noted that this discussion should be held in Turkey and
not in France or Switzerland. It is Turkey that must launch a free
and open dialogue, which does not exist today. "Those who call to
leave the history to historians are challenging the historians." At
the same time Oskanian noted that Turkey minds involvement of third
countries in the discussion.

According to the Foreign Minister, Turkey has made the dialogue between
the two states impossible. Armenia is ready to establish diplomatic
relations with Turkey without any preconditions. Besides, Armenia does
not mind Turkey’s accession to the European Union. "We would like
Turkey to correspond to all European standards and we would like to
see Turkey as an EU member, which would make it possible to cooperate
for creating a safe and prosperous region," the Foreign Minister noted.