TABDC: DISCUSSION OF GENOCIDE AND KARABAKH ISSUES MAKE TURKEY-ARMENIA RECONCILIATION POSSIBLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.05.2008 18:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Mosaic Institute invited Kaan Soyak, the Co-chair
of the Turkish Armenian Business Development Council (TABDC) to Toronto
to address a group of Canadians of Turkish and Armenian origin at a
dinner reception on May 22, independent French journalist Jan Eckian
told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Kaan Soyak and Arsen Ghazarian, the Armenian Co-chair, established
the TABDC in 1997, as a think tank NGO aimed to improve relations
between Armenia and Turkey.

The mission of the TABDC is to seek normalization of relations between
Turkey and Armenia by opening the border between the two countries,
which has been closed for more than a decade. In addition, the TABDC
advocates establishing diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia.

The Embassies of both Turkey and Armenia in Ottawa sent senior
representatives to the Toronto meeting convened by the Mosaic
Institute. In addition, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
sent a senior diplomat to be present at the Mosaic Institute event.

"There was a wonderful atmosphere of respect and willingness to listen"
said Vahan Kololian, Chairman of the Mosaic Institute. "Clearly
the TABDC is doing important work in the Caucuses region, and it
is important for them to know that many in the Turkish and Armenian
Diaspora support their efforts," he said.

Mr. Soyak said, "It is the position of the TABDC that diplomatic
relations can be established and borders can be opened, while the
Genocide issue and the Nagorno Karabakh problem continue to be studied
and discussed."