RA PRESIDENT HOPES ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER WILL BE OPEN BEFORE OCTOBER 7

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.04.2009 20:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA President Serzh Sargsyan expressed hope that
Armenian-Turkish border will be open before Oct. 7, when a return
football match between Armenian and Turkish teams will take place.

"Armenia and Turkey are approaching the final stage of negotiations. As
you know, we agreed to start negotiations with Turkey without
preconditions," Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview to Vesti TV
Channel.

There’s no Armenian in the whole world who’d deny the Armenian
Genocide.

"We showed goodwill and I hope the Turkish side will also appreciate
our good intensions," RA President said.

The first step to the beginning of Armenian- Turkish dialogue was made
at the celebration of 10th Anniversary of the Founding of Astana,
where the presidents exchanged a couple of phrases in informal
atmosphere. Another step followed: the Armenian President invited
his Turkish colleague to Yerevan to attend football match between
Armenian and Turkish teams.

After Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s arrival to Yerevan,
Armenian-Turkish negotiations, up to that moment usually conducted
in the atmosphere of secrecy, became more open. Nevertheless, Armenia
will not sacrifice international recognition of the Armenian Genocide
or compromise in NKR conflict settlement issue, either with Turkey
or any other country for indistinct economic benefits.

It’s been one year today since the 3rd RA President Serzh Sargsyan
entered upon his office. This year have brought significant changes
in foreign policy of Armenia, without the country’s changing it’s
priorities, proclaimed in RA Independence Declaration.

Beginning of the dialogue between Armenia and Turkey and signing of
Mindorf declaration were the most important of those changes.