ARMENIA MUST BE INTERESTED IN TURKEY’S IMPLEMENTING ITS OBLIGATIONS TAKEN BEFORE EU, RUBEN SAFRASTIAN BELIEVES

Noyan Tapan
Dec 18 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Union’s (EU) decision
on dampening the negotitations with Turkey was not accidental as Turkey
does not implement its obligations taken before the EU. Politician
Ruben Safrastian expressed such an opinion at the December 16
meeting with journalists. In his words, the course fostered by the
EU, according to which Turkey is still given possibility to correct
its own faults, and by this, the doors are not closed before it,
is right. In the politician’s opinion, Armenia, as a state, must
be interested in Turkey’s implementing all the obligations taken by
it. Only in this case, in R.Safrastian’s words, Turkey will gradually
"become a foreseeable country, condemn dark pages of its past, stop
putting pressures on Armenia." R.Safrastian mentioned that from 1991
till now Armenia has led "instinctively chosen, but right policy"
in the issue of Turkey." At the same time, as the speaker emphasized
both former and present authorities led correct policy.

In his words, from 1998 Armenia attempted to countervail "the
policy of pressure." "Today Armenia does not present precondition,"
R.Safrastian fixed.

But, as he mentioned, if Armenia presented the issue of recognition
of the 1915 Armenian Genocide as a precondition before Turkey, many
countries would "approach that fact with understanding."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress