ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS SHOULDN’T DEPEND ON THIRD COUNTRY’S INTERESTS
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.09.2008 14:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Presidents and people of both Armenia and Turkey
should take the opportunity provided by the FIFA draws to overcome
the deadlock in bilateral relations, Armenian MP Armen Ashotyan told
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
"Bilateral relations should never depend on a third country’s
interests. Our position is unchangeable: we stand for dialog without
preconditions. Establishment of relations will have a positive impact
of social and economic life in both countries. Given the increasing
tensions in the region, the Armenian-Turkish relations should transform
from latent confrontation to dynamic development," he said.
In a sign of readiness to normalize ties, Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan invited his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul to a World Cup
qualifying match between Armenian and Turkish teams due on September
6. The invitation is likely to be accepted.
Turkey cut its diplomatic ties and closed its border with Armenia
over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in 1993.