TURKISH AMBASSADOR WELCOMES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
armradio.am
30.10.2007 16:17
Turkey welcomes the establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia,
Turkish Ambassador to Russia Kurtulus Taskent told a news conference
in Moscow.
"I hope favorable conditions will be created for the establishment and
development of diplomatic relations between our countries," Taskent
said. He noted that due to some reasons diploamtic relations cannot
be established between Armenia and Turkey today. According to the
Ambassador, for establishment of relations Armenia must eliminate
the provisions on its claims on lands of foreign countries from its
Declaration of Independence.
Ambassador Taskent underlined that Turkey is taking active steps for
normalization of relations with Armenia. "Currently 50-60 Armenians
are illegally working in Turkey, but we close our eyes," he noted. He
informed also that Armenian airlines make 100 flights monthly through
Turkish air space, thus "allowing Armenia to maintain contacts with
the outer world and the European countries." He also reminded that in
2005 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan to open the archives of the two countries
and "see the truth about the genocide of 1915." "But unfortunately,
no response has been received from Robert Kocharyan," the Turkish
Ambassador noted.
It’s worth mentioning that in response to Erdogan’s suggestion to
establish a joint commission of historians, the Armenian side has
many timed declared about the willingness to establish diplomatic
relations with Turkey without any preconditions.