PETER SEMNEBY: EU WELCOMES ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT ABOUT TURKEY’S JOINING THIS STRUCTURE
Noyan Tapan
Dec 12 2007
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Union welcomes the
Armenian prime minister Serge Sargsian’s statement, according to which
Armenia is in favor of Turkey’s joining this structure, the EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby stated at the
December 19 hearings in the RA National Assembly. According to him,
it may help improve the strained relations between Yerevan and Ankara.
P. Semneby called the existence of closed borders in the South
Caucasus an abnormal phenomenon which causes transport problems,
tension between peoples and a bad political atmosphere for all those
represented in this region. In his words, it will be in the interests
of Armenia if Turkey plays a greater role in the South Caucasus and
participates in the regional development.
According to the speaker, the EU itself is an example of how the
former enemies have succeeded in establishing solidarity in the
name of peaceful futrure after World War II. The main principles for
reaching such an agreement are compromises, the choice of priorities
and making step-by-step progress.
P. Semneby said that Armenia and Turkey take different approaches
to their histories, the tragedy of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
and a number of other issues. Turkey has put forward at least three
preconditions for establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia:
Armenia must not have territorial claims to Turkey, it must give
up Azerbaijani territories and stop the international campaign for
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
According to him, Europe is concerned over the existence of a
watershed between these two countries. A lot of NGOs and governmental
organizations have tried to influnce these strained realtions but to
no avail. P. Semneby positively assessed Turkey’s proposal to create a
group of historians to examine the 1915 events. In his words, it may
be hindered by Article 301 of Turkey’s Criminal Code but the newly
elected president of the country has promised to amend this article.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
