PRESIDENT OF GREECE: ONE SHOULD BE NEITHER CAPTIVE OF PAST NOR FORGET IT
ArmInfo
2007-06-27 15:45:00
One should be neither captive of the past nor forget it,
President of Greece Karolos Papoulias said at today’s meeting with
the professor-teacher staff and students of the Yerevan State
University. "Armenia and Greece belong to the huge region which
extends among the Mediterranean, Back and Caspian Seas. Many peoples,
which populate the region, have tragic fortunes", the president said
and added that situation of the transient period after the USSR
collapse, rise of national conflicts together with the regional
problems, including the competition of superpowers, the situation
around Iran, uncertainty in the issue of Turkey’s membership in EU
create a difficult atmosphere in the region.
However, Karolos Papoulias expressed hope that the history lessons
will give their benefit and cooperation in the region may overcome
the problems. As a historical lesson, he gave an example of France and
Germany which, despite the longstanding enmity, are now the example of
cooperation and pillar in EU. In the context of regional problems, the
president emphasized that one should not allow creation of separating
lines in the region. One should be neither a captive of the past nor
forget it.