THE TURKISH DAILY NEWS: THE SECOND CHANCE FOR RAPPROCHEMENT WITH ARMENIANS MISSES

ArmRadio.am
21.03.2007 17:35

The inauguration of Akhtamar Church on March 29 will not be an
opportunity for the normalization of relations between Turkey and
Armenia and Turkey will miss the second chance for rapprochement
after the assassination of Hrant Dink, the Turkish Daily News writes.

The paper notes that more than 200 Armenians from New York, Washington,
Los Angeles, Ottawa and Paris were invited in addition to the
Armenians from Yerevan including the clergymen and representatives
of nongovernmental organizations who attended Dink’s funeral. The
invitations were prepared in coordination with the Turkish-Armenian’s
Patriarch, Mesrob Mutafyan, said the Turkish sources. In the
invitations sent by the Van governor, Turkey excluded the " extremist
Dashnaks and preferred to invite moderate Armenians." Just a week
before the ceremony, Turkey is now suspicious about the attendance
of Armenians.

Despite the invitation it is still unclear whether Armenian Culture
Minister Hasmik Poghosian will attend the inauguration of the newly
renovated 10th century Akhtamar Church and Yerevan did not give an
answer to the invitation conveyed by the Turkish Embassy to Tbilisi.