KIRO MANOYAN: "REASON FOR ABSENCE OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS IS REPULSIVE ATTITUDE OF TURKEY"

Noyan Tapan
Dec 20 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. "The reason for the absence
of Armenian-Turkish relations is the repulsive attitude of
Turkey. However, it is important for us to refer to the problems
existing between the two states through parliamentary hearings and try
to re-establish or make our tasks more exact," declared Kiro Manoyan,
the Head of the ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office,
in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on December 19,
making a speech at the hearings organized on the "Armenian-Turkish
relations: Problems and perspectives" subject.

He attached importance to the issue on the blockade of Armenia by
Turkey, at the same time mentioning that it is obvious that it cannot
last forever and that they should get ready for it beforehand. The
speaker attached not less importance to the problem concerning the
Armenian-Turkish border. According to him, Armenia, by becoming
a member of different international organizations, has factually
recognized the border inherited from the soviet period, whereas the
legal border was internationally recognized as early as by the Sevr
treaty signed in 1920. He suggested prohibiting the signature of any
document by Armenia, by which it will waive that specified borderline
between Armenia and Turkey. The speaker also considered it necessary
for the lagislative and executive authorities of Armenia to get down
to the implementation of the preparatory work necessary for the legal
stimulation of that problem in international instances.

According to Kiro Manoyan, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
and the legal and political responsibility for that crime by Turkey,
as well as the establishment of a dialogue at the intergovernmental
level of the two countries will become preconditions for the creation
of Armenian-Turkish normal relations. "This road is neither short
nor easy," Kiro Manoyan said, at the same time mentioning that the
16-year-old experience of the independence of Armenia showed that
they should not be infatuated with illusions and cannot reach serious
results with regard to the relations with Turkey by temporary steps.