RA MFA: ARMENIA READY TO START SEROUS DIALOG WITH TURKEY OVER PAST AND FUTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.03.2007 14:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Armenia and Armenians wish for substantive
progress with Turkey regarding our painful past and a potential of
a shared future as neighbors," RA MFA Acting Press Officer Vladimir
Karapetyansays in his statement. In particular, the statement notes,
"We do not want to be played in a never-ending process of "gestures"
that do not intend to make real inroads in reconciliation and pursues
propaganda purposes drawing away the attention of the international
community from real problems. Armenia calls on the international
community to encourage Turkey to engage in a substantive process
toward open borders and normal relations. Actually the Armenian
side would like to estimate Turkey’s initiative on renovation and
opening of the Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar island as a real step
forward aimed at reconciliation and approach of Armenian and Turkish
people. However it is difficult to do that since the Turkish government
does not recognize the true value of the civilization and nation,
which created this monument. The Armenian side thinks that first of
all opening of Armenian-Turkish border, which was closed in 1993,
will become a real progress in improvement of bilateral relations."