TURKEY IS BENEFITING FROM ARMENIA’S DIPLOMATIC GESTURE, SAYS HOVANESSIAN

Yerkir
Thursday, September 18, 2008

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–Turkey is reaping the benefits of Armenia’s
diplomatic gesture toward establishing friendly relations with its
neighbors, said Armenian Revolutionary Federation Parliamentary
Bloc chairman and Bureau member Vahan Hovanessian during a press
conference Thursday.

The ARF leader said the invitation from President Serzh Sarkisian
was a prudent effort to demonstrate to the international community
that Armenia was willing to establish relations with all its neighbors.

However, Hovanessian said, Turkey is utilizing that effort for its
own gain by mounting an aggressive campaign to claim the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide is not part of Armenia’s agenda.

Such efforts by Turkey will slow the international recognition process,
said Hovannesian who wondered why Armenia’s leadership has been
silent on that front. He urged Armenia’s government to immediately
counteract Turkey’s effort by expressing confidence that Armenia has
not made any agreements with Turkey on any matter, including the swap
of lands for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

"I consider that it is the expression of the frequently noticed
passivity of our diplomacy. We have seen a lot of this," he said.

Hovannisian said that the ARF discusses these issues with its coalition
partners, but added that it is more advisable that such issues should
be discussed by the National Security Council.

"If political forces see that no common approach emerges within the
coalition regarding these issues, they may draw their conclusions. But
I must say that there is no such issue yet," Hovannisian concluded.

"Not only the ARF, but all political forces and the entire Armenian
nation is opposed to Turkey having any role in the Karabakh conflict
resolution," added Hovanessian when speaking about recent overtures
by Turkey and Azerbaijan for including Turkey in the Minsk Group or
allowing Turkey to lead the resolution process.

Hovanessian said Turkey has always had a pro-Azerbaijan policy and the
blockade of Armenia was the most glaring example of that policy. With
the blockade Turkey has already become a non-objective side to the
conflict, therefore its participation in the process is unacceptable.

"Armenia’s leadership must to everything possible to ensure that
the Minsk Group continues its efforts toward the resolution of the
conflict," said Hovanessian.

In addressing Turkey’s proposed Caucasus stability pact, Hovanessian
said that while efforts to establish peace and stability were
admirable, the entity proposing such a pact must have an objective
approach to all players in the region. Turkey, he said, has not
demonstrated that.