PRIME MINISTER OF TURKEY AVOIDS ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON REGULATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 12, 2008

MUNICH, FEBRUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On February 9-10 Vardan Oskanian,
the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, took part in the 44th
Munich Conference on Security Policy.

The conference was presided over by Horst Teltschik, the former
National Security Adviser of Germany. Leaders of different countries,
40 Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, about 500 guests, that
is to say, mass media, research centers, experts of international
relations, who discussed the existing and future security challenges
in a straightforward atmosphere, were present at the conference.

Recep Taiip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey, delivered a
speech on the foreign policy and security of Turkey under the main
title of the conference: "The world in chaos – change of forces –
lack of strategies".

After his speech Vardan Oskanian made commentaries and touched upon
the viewpoints voiced by Prime Minister Erdogan with regard to Turkey’s
being a democratic and main strategic performer contributing to peace
and stability in the regions and beyond its borders.

Taking into consideration the fact that the Prime Minister of Turkey
is proud of the democratization process and the strategic role of
Turkey in establishing peace and stability both in the region and
beyond its borders, Vardan Oskanian said: "Mr. Prime Minister, you
also affirmed your distinct position concerning becoming a full and
equal member of the European Union and we in Armenia are for that. We
want to have that kind of neighbor.

However, as you know, at present, the border between our countries is
closed by Turkey. We have often raised this question mentioning that
we would like to have normal relations with Turkey: open borders and
diplomatic relations.

Armenians would like to be direct beneficiaries of the vision
introduced by you today. However, we heard you distincly and clearly
repeating the two main motives or excuses for keeping the border
closed. The first of the voiced reasons is Armenia’s involvement in
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the second is the fact that Armenia
is after the recognition of the Genocide.

However, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is proceeding between Armenians
and Azerbaijanis and the recognition of the Genocide is our moral and
historical obligation. Mr. Prime Minister, our countries are not at
war at this moment and under these circumstances, when we are not at
war, are the reasons you brought enough to justify the fact that the
borders between our countries is closed?

You can help us to quickly regulate the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
with your positive involvement. The establishment of normal relations,
the opening of borders and the establishment of diplomatic relations
will allow us to discuss the differences of our approaches with regard
to the Genocide problem.

Interesting processes are proceeding and Turkey can become a natural
bridge between the Caucasus and the European Union and NATO. And I
wonder, do not you think that with a more positive involvement in the
region, with the establishment of equal and neutral relations with
everybody Turkey will play a more positive role in the regulation
of our relations with regard to the abolition of the obstacles you
mentioned?"

The Prime Minister of Turkey did not answer the questions of
Vardan Oskanian concerning the perspectives of the regulation of
the geopolitical situation and relations. Instead he repeated the
suggestion on creating a commission of historians and said that the
1915 massacres have not been historically proved, on the one hand
suggesting historians and archeologists studying the problem, on the
other hand rejecting the possibility that the Genocide is a part of
the Turkish culture.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the Press
and Information Department of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
within the frameworks of the conference Vardan Oskanian had bilateral
meetings with Petras Vaitiekunas, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Lithuania, and Volker Stanzel, the political director of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Germany.