ACCORDING TO HAYK DEMOYAN, SOME ELEMENTS OF DECLINE OBSERVED IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan

Nov 24, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The culmination of development
of Armenian-Turkish relations was the visit of Turkish President
Abdullah Gul to Yerevan. Since that moment, as the Director of the
Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan said at the November 24
press conference, some elements of a decline, which does not depend
on the Armenian side, have been observed in the relations between
two countries.

According to him, it was the Armenian side that initiatied that meeting
which was accepted by the Turkish side, but the Armenian side has
been waiting for a response "pass" of Turkey so far. H. Demoyan said
there is an opinion that the Armenian side had to take this step but
such is not the case. He reminded that even President Serzh Sargsyan
noted in his interview with the German press that the meeting had been
organized without any conditions. According to historian H. Demoyan,
the meeting of the two presidents should have been followed by some
actions – instead of stating the previous preconditions, that is,
the issues of setting up a commission and discontinuing the process
of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide by other states.

In the opinion of H. Demoyan, in order to prove its readiness to
cooperate with Armenia, Turkey first of all should open the Kars-Gyumri
railway in a maximum period of a year. Besides, bilateral negotiations
should start on opening diplomatic representative offices in Armenia
and Turkey. In his words, the Turkish side should not link any
statement or action (in terms of improving its realtions with Armenia)
to Karabakh as the Armenian side does take such a step with respect
to Cyprus.

As regards the meeting of Armenian and Turkish foreign ministers to
be held in Instanbul on the same day, H. Demoyan said he does not
expect serious progress from this meeting.