DIPLOMATS EXPLAIN WHY ARMENIA REFUSED VISAS TO TURKISH OBSERVERS

ARMENPRESS
May 09 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian
shrugged off today concerns of the OSCE, which were caused by official
Yerevan’s refusal to grant visas to Turkish observers who were
assigned by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) to monitor the parliamentary election on May 12th in Armenia.

Oskanian explained that the refusal did not refer to concrete Turkish
nationals, but was ‘manifestation of protest against a country that
refuses to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia."

Oskanian said Turkey’s decision to assign observers for monitoring
Armenian elections while it refuses to open borders with Armenia and
establish diplomatic relations was ‘incautious.’ But he added that
one Turkish observer will come to Armenia as part of a mission of a
pan-European parliamentary organization.

Originally eight short- term Turkish observer were to come to Armenia
as part of the OSCE mission.

Christian Strohal, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said he was concerned about
visa problems.

"Preventing some observers from participating contradicts the
principles of transparency and objectivity which are an indispensable
aspect of democratic elections," he had said.

In a related news Vladimir Karapetian, Armenian foreign ministry’s
acting spokesperson was asked by Armenpress to explain why Armenia
refused to accept Turkish representatives in the election observation
mission.

He said," Turkey maintains a closed border with Armenia and refuses
to establish diplomatic relations.

Under these circumstances, to expect to send observers is a bit
disingenuous.

Armenia regrets that Turkey did not demonstrate sensitivity in
relation to its citizens-representatives participating in the OSCE
observer mission to Armenia, given the absence of relations between
our two countries.

Turkey cannot choose and select which kinds of political relations
it wishes to have with Armenia, and which it does not wish to
have. Political and diplomatic relations are not entered into
selectively.

Armenia understands the concern of OSCE members regarding Armenia’s
OSCE commitments, and reaffirms that we remain faithful to those
commitments. But we expect that participating states will also expect
Turkey to adhere to its commitments to engage in normal, neighborly
relations with Armenia."