SERZH SARGSYAN: WE ARE READY TO SPEAK WITH TURKEY

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ly 9

The Wall Street Journal, On July 9, Published An Article By RA
President Serzh Sargsyan, Which We Present In Translation And
Completely:

"The Efforts Of Newly Independent Countries To Create New, Democratic
Way Of Life Did Not Finished By The Collapse Of The Soviet Union. The
Republic Of Armenia, A Small Country, Which Is Situated Between Turkey,
Russia, Iran And The Caspian Region Rich In Energy Supplies, Is An
Example Of It. After independence the peaceful development potential
of Armenia has not been realized completely.

During the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Turkey closed the border with
Armenia as a manifestation of solidarity with Azerbaijan having Turkish
roots. The regrettable result of it was that it is the 15th year the
border between Armenia and Turkey important from geopolitical point of
view remains an obstacle for diplomatic and economic cooperation. It is
closed not only for Armenians and Turks, who may have a willingness
to visit the neighboring country, but also for trade, transport,
and flow of energy supplies from the East to the West. Such
strategic infrastructures as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars projected railway bypassed Armenia in spite of
the circumstance that there is a railway between Turkey and Armenia,
which is kept closed. It is not only the people of Armenia that suffers
from these limitations and bypassings. All regional countries and
European states’ wide community pay a high price for this unnatural
obstacle to trade, progress, and international cooperation. It is
time of new efforts to come out of this deadlock: a deadlock, which
is beneficial for nobody and from which many suffer. As the President
of the Republic of Armenia, taking the chance, I propose a new start,
a new stage of a dialogue with the Turkish government and people, for
the purpose of improving our relations and opening our common border.

I propose forming normal political and economic relations between
our countries. After I was elected Armenian President in February
my Turkish counterpart was one of the first ones among heads of
foreign states to congratulate me. Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said that in this new period our doors are open for
a new dialogue. There is no real alternative to establishment of
normal relations between our countries. I hope that for creating
such relations our governments are able to cross this barrier of new
open door.

Creation of normal political relations will give us a possibility
to form a commission, to discuss all complicated issues regarding
Armenia and Turkey.

We will not be able to record perceptible results without such
relations.

Only by that means we can create an efficient dialogue touching
upon even the most delicate historic issues. At a more individual
level many Armenians and Turks have already found ways to go round
the closed border. They use regular charter flights from Yerevan to
Istanbul and Antalia. There are many bus and taxi routes through the
territory of Georgia and lorries go round the border, pass a large
territory for carrying out some trade between the two countries. Like
the peoples of China and United states shared enthusiasm over table
tennis before normalization of relations between their governments,
just this way the peoples of Armenia and Turkey are united by love
for football. And it induces me to make the following invitation.

The World Championship selection match of Armenian and Turkish
football national teams will take place on September 6. I invite my
Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul to visit Armenia and to watch the
game together at the sports ground. With it we will announce the new
symbolic start of our relations.

No matter what differences we have, even under a closed border,
there are certain cultural, humanitarian, and sports contacts between
our peoples.

Therefore I believe that citizens of Armenia and Turkey will welcome
this step just like they will welcome opening of the border. It is
clear that there can be political obstacles on both sides during this
period, but now we need to have courage and vision to act.

Armenia and Turkey should not and cannot be constant enemies. More
prosperous, mutually beneficial future for Armenia and Turkey,
Europe, Caspian region and the whole world, opening of the historic
East-West corridor is a goal we are able and should achieve. It is
time to overcome artificial barriers separating us and to work for
a better future."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress