ARMENIAN MP: ARMENIA AND TURKEY INTERESTS DON’T COINCIDE
By Melek Tuzluca

Journal of Turkish Weekly
May 22 2008
Turkey

Armen Ashotuan, Armenia MP and member of the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia thinks that the true and announced interests of Turkey
and Armenia do not coincide, Pan-Armenian reports.

Mr. Ashotuan said "If the interests, which are just declared, can be
compared, so the true interests clash only. Ashotyan gave a lecture
in "Global Challenges and Threats: Are Joint Efforts between Armenia
and Turkey Possible?" international conference in Yerevan.

"If Armenia needs Turkey as a steadily developing neighbor,
Turkey needs Armenia at the instigation of world powers and major
international organizations," the MP Ashotuan added.

"Armenia’s global and regional interests focus international
recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, open communication and
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey is aspired to join the
EU and maintain Turkish unity," he noted.

* ‘Turkey-Armenian Co-operation is not a Dream’

Turkish scholars however do not share Armenian MP Ashotuan’s
pessimism. Dr. Sedat Laciner, head of the USAK, told the JTW that
Turkey and Armenia can develop good relations and closer ties are
good for both countries:

"Armenia is a tiny country with limited natural sources, small economy
and limited population. It has no sea way. Under these curcumstances,
Yerevan should solve its problems with the neighbours to survive and
to be really an independent country. Turkey is the best (if not the
only one) way to reach the West. Similarly Turkey needs Armenia for
better transportation ways to Central Asia’s Turkic republics. Also
Armenians are very part of Turkish identity and past."

Armenia does not recognise Turkey’s national borders and claims the
eastern part of Anatolia is ‘Western Armenia’. About 20 percent of
Azerbaijain has been under Armenian occupation.