OSKANIAN TO TURKEY: OPEN BORDERS
The New Anatolian, Turkey
June 27 2007
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian currently in Istanbul
participating in the BSEC summit, called on Turkey to open the
Armenian border, which is closed since 1993, the PanArmenian.net
reported on Tuesday.
"If you really treat the dialogue between Yerevan and Ankara
seriously, would you be so kind as to first open the border. If the
Armenian-Turkish border is open, the Armenian side will be ready
to form any commission on the governmental level to discuss those
issues, which currently hamper normalization of relations between
our countries," Vartan Oskanian stressed.
Turkey says Armenian claims that Ottoman Turks committed genocide
at the turn of the 20th century hamper prospects for normalization
of ties.
Commenting on his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul on Monday, the Armenian Foreign Minister said, "unfortunately
no changes are observed in Turkey’s policy and it continues to put
forward preconditions for normalizing relations with Armenia. In his
words, as democratic countries, Armenia and Turkey must be able to
settle existing problems in a civilized way."
Oskanian also noted during his meeting with Gul he familiarized
him with the latest developments of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement process and Armenia’s stance on the issue. "After the
meeting between Armenian and Azeri presidents in St. Petersburg various
comments were made. Baku is trying to find those who it considers
guilty, making various comments. And consequently, Turkey must listen
to our position in order to make a just conclusion," Oskanian said.
Armenia has occupied Nagorno Karabakh and parts of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan wants the Armenians to withdraw from the occupied lands.