VARTAN OSKANIAN: WE WILL URGE TURKEY TO OPEN LAST CLOSED BORDER IN EUROPE

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2007 13:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is aspired to further integration into the
European structures, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said during
the "Baltic to the Wider Black Sea: The New Euroatlantic Challenge?"

hearing held within the framework of Brussels Forum 2007. The RA FM
presented Armenia’s relations with European and Euroatlantic structures
as well as their role in the region. "Armenia targets at further
integration into the European structures and takes into account
the interests of other forces engaged in the region. A two-digit
index of economic growth has been fixed in Armenia for seven years
already. After the armistice sealed in 1994, Azerbaijan and its ally,
Turkey, were expected Armenia to decline under the burden of poverty
and economic standstill. However, contrary to their expectations, it
did not happen and will never happen and I regret that these states
fail to derive lessons from the situation and proceed with efforts
to blockade Armenia. The result is the recent $700 million bargain
for Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railroad bypassing Armenia. A new
railroad will not force us to retreat. It will not do more harm than
a closed border. However, political atmosphere will suffer and this
gives a reason for regret," the Minister said.

"We do stand for operation of the existing Kars-Gyumri railroad. We
will urge Turkey to open the last closed border in Europe and establish
normal relations with Armenia," Vartan Oskanian said. As the GUAM’s
initiative on ‘frozen conflicts’ submitted to consideration of the
UN General Assembly, the RA FM reaffirmed Armenia’s stance: "Four
different conflicts cannot be settled on the basis of one resolution,"
the RA MFA press office reports.