ARMENIA, TURKEY NEED TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS – PRESIDENT SARGSYAN

Interfax News Agency
July 11 2008
Russia

Normal relations and mutual confidence between Armenia and Turkey
will help them discuss the entire range of their concerns, Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan told the Wall Street Journal.

We cannot make substantial progress without such relations. This is
the only way to an efficient dialog, which will incorporate even the
most sensitive historical aspects, he said.

I hope that our governments can open a new page. Certainly, both
sides may create political impediments, but we must be brave and
farsighted. Armenia and Turkey cannot and shall not be opponents
forever. The opening of an East-West corridor to Europe will be the
most promising and beneficial for Armenia and Turkey, he said.

There are still no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey.

The events that occurred in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 are the main
stumbling block in the bilateral relations. A number of states have
recognized the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire. According to
various sources, over 1.5 million people were killed in that time.

Armenia wants Turkey to admit the fact of genocide, but Turkey refuses
to do that.

Meanwhile, Ankara demands the Karabakh settlement within the territory
of Azerbaijan.