ARF THINKS IT IS NOT OBLIGATORY TO MAKE CONCESSIONS

Lragir.am
13:37:09 – 09/12/2008

The contents of the foreign policies of the second and third presidents
of Armenia, especially regarding the Armenian and Turkish relations,
do not differ, and the difference is only in form. On December 9
the head of the ARF Bureau office of political affairs Kiro Manoyan
stated this at the Pastark press club. He said, however, that if the
difference in form lasts long, it will cause a change of content.

As to the current phase of the Armenian and Turkish relations,
the so-called football diplomacy, Kiro Manoyan says by referring to
this process as football diplomacy we downplay it because football
was just an opportunity which Armenia used. Kiro Manoyan thinks the
process is hindered since Turkey continues to view the Armenian and
Turkish relations in the context of preconditions, namely revision
of our approach towards the genocide.

Meanwhile, according to Kiro Manoyan, both Armenia and Turkey need
this improvement because the country cannot aspire to the role of
regional leader unless it improves its relations with Armenia.

According to the representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, since
Turkey needs the improvement of relations as much as Armenia, it is
an argument that Armenia is not obliged to make concessions for the
improvement of these relations.