GUL: TURKEY IS READY TO ESTABLISH GOOD-NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS WITH
ARMENIA BASED ON MUTUAL RESPECT AND CONFIDENCE

ANKARA, JANUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "Turkey is ready
to establish good-neighborly relations with Armenia, but this will be
impossible unless the two sides cooperate." Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul declared this at January 24 meeting with journalists at
Esenboga Ankara’s airport.

According to Turkish Daily News, responding to the question relating
to possible developments in Armenian-Turkish relations after the
murder of Agos newspaper’s editor-in-chief Hrant Dink, Gul stated:
"Turkey strives for establishing good-neighborly relations with all
its neighbors based on mutual confidence and respect and we wish to
establish contacts with Armenia, too."

The Turkish Foreign Minister emphasized that his country does not feel
hatred to any of its neighbors, "but establishment of good-neighborly
relations is possible only in case of bilateral steps," and Armenia,
in Gul’s words, should reconsider its thoughts and feelings towards
Turkey. "Representatives of Armenia came to Dink’s funeral and saw
that Turkey does not have hatred to any one," Abdullah Gul declared.

At the same time, in Turkish Foreign Minister’s words, Armenia "should
not make unfair demands to Turkey" like the demand to recognize the
Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Empire.

The Turkish Minister again voiced his government’s proposal to create
a joint commission of Armenian and Turkish scientists for studying
the issue of Armenian Genocide.