TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS ARE OPPOSED TO THE OPENING OF TURKEY-ARMENIA BORDERS

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.04.2009 21:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish parliamentarians disputed over the opening
of Turkey-Armenia borders at the meeting of the parliament’s commission
for foreign affairs.

Members of the commission from the Republican People’s Party (CHP)
Canan Aritman, Ilhan Kesici, Onur Oymen and Shukru Elekdagh demanded
to discuss the issue of opening the borders with Armenia and to make
decision on that. MHP members also supported them. CHP parliamentarians
said AKP would make great mistake, if opened the borders with
Armenia and Turkey would lost its only trump card and damage its
national interests, its power and energy policy at the international
arena. They stated that the borders couldn’t be opened before Armenia’s
withdrawal from the Azerbaijani lands, recognition of Turkey’s borders
and refusal of genocide claims. CHP lawmakers proposed to submit
their position to the commission as a draft resolution and to put it
to vote. However commission’s chairman from the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) Murat Mercan said he had no authority to put
proposals to vote. After the CHP protest, he made no quorum excuses,
but the oppositionists protested him saying that there is a quorum
at the meeting. Then Mercan interrupted the meeting and left the room.

Canan Aritman (CHP) told journalists that Turkey can’t hurt feelings
of Azerbaijan to restore its relations with Armenia. "AKP is rushing
to open the borders, but it will be a great mistake to open borders
without lifting the factors preventing relations with Armenia, without
concessions by Armenia and its withdrawal from the Azerbaijani lands".

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will make report on the relations
with Armenia to the parliament’s commission for foreign affairs,
APA reports quoting the Turkish newspapers.