USA: Turkey ought to open up the border with Armenia and restore normal
relations
Arminfo
2007-04-16 10:40:00
US Assistant Secretary of State on Europe and Eurasian affairs Daniel
Fried replied to ArmInfo correspondent’s question at the
press-conference in Washington that the USA thinks that Turkey ought
to open up the border with Armenia and restore normal relations.
"We’re pleased by recent steps Turkey has taken, like restoring the
Armenian church in Eastern Turkey, even if as a museum. That’s still
something," the American diplomat said. He also added that there is in
Turkish society a constituency for this kind of reconciliation.
"Hrant Dink was murdered by an extremist nationalist, but then 100,000
Turks were in the street saying we are all Armenians, we are all Hrant
Dink. It didn’t mean literally that they’re Armenians, but it means we
reject nationalism. We embrace a Turkish identity which is
tolerant. That’s very hopeful. That’s a very good thing. That’s what
we want to encourage," Daniel Fried said.