ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION OF DEPUTY MINISTERS IN TURKEY IN LATE JANUARY

Noyan Tapan

Jan 21, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia will participate in
the dicussion of deputy ministers to be held in Turkey in late
January. The issue of Turkey’s proposed Caucasus Security Alliance
will be the subject of the discussion, Armenian foreign minister
Edward Nalbandian announced at the January 21 press conference.

Speaking about Armenian-Turkish relations, he shared Turkish foreign
minister Ali Babacan’s idea that Armenia and Turkey have come quite
close to regulating their relations, adding: "if Turkey, like Armenia,
agrees to open the border and establish diplomatic relations without
any preconditions". In the words of E. Nalbandian, this is what Armenia
expects from Turkey. He noted that today many in Turkey are concerned
about Armenian-Turkish relations.

In response to reporters’ question about what price Armenia is prepared
to pay for regulation of Armenian-Turkish relations, E. Nalbandian
replied that there is no such price and no such question should be
put. At the same time he said that it is out of the question that
Armenia should call on Diasporan structures to stop pursuing their goal
of the Armenian Genocide’s recognition. According to E. Nalbandian,
although this problem does exist in relations of the two countries,
it should be overcome, and the "bitter page of the past should be
turned over" by recognizing rather than forgetting it.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress