Milliyet, Turkey
Sept 6 2008

MILLIYET CRITICIZES PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO ARMENIA

I had written of President Abdullah Gul’s criticisms regarding Armenia
15 years ago and asked what has changed in the intervening time. Some
readers objected, saying "of course a great many things have changed
in 15 years." So now let us read together what Abdullah Gul, speaking
as the president, said while addressing the Azerbaijani National
Parliament in 2007:

"The entire world finally has to recognize that Armenia’s on the one
hand engaging in hostile behaviour towards Turkey, and on the other
hand its keeping Azerbaijani territory under occupation, is the reason
for the current situation. As long as Armenia continues to press for
the events of 1915 to be commented upon in other countries’
parliaments, no development should be expected in terms of a
normalization of relations."

Let us ask once again: What has changed in the past year? Is there
even the slightest change in the policies of Armenia? Apart from
pressure from the United States and the EU, what else has changed from
Gul’s standpoint?

[translated from Turkish]