ARTHUR AGHABEKYAN: THE COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY IS IMPOSED

armradio.am
20.12.2007 16:34

The Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defense,
National Security and Interior Affairs Arthur Aghabekyan considers that
the cooperation between Armenia and Turkey within different structures
is "imposed." "It is imposed, because the elements of cooperation
have no social demand, but result from the commitments before other
institutions," Arthur Aghabekyan declared during today’s parliamentary
hearings on "Armenian-Turkish relations: Issues and Perspectives."

According to Mr. Aghabekyan, Armenia stands for establishment of
diplomatic relations with Turkey without preconditions and Turkey’s
positive involvement in the South Caucasus region and will continue
the steps in the direction of normalizing its relations with Turkey.

The Armenian-Turkish border is simultaneously a border between Armenia
and a NATO member state. According to Mr. Aghabekyan Armenia and
NATO would become closer if the border were not closed, which would
provide a greater opportunity to Armenia to deepen the cooperation
with the Alliance.

The Chairman of the Commission is assured that the normalization
of relations between the two countries will greatly promote the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "Armenia believes that
the dialogue encouraged by the Alliance, the European Union and other
will lead to the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations," Arthur
Aghabekyan concluded.