ARFD CONDEMNS RA FOREIGN MINISTRY’S SIGNING APRIL 22 STATEMENT WITH TURKEY

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 23, 2009
YEREVAN

On the occasion of the April 23 joint statement of RA and Turkish
Foreign Ministries the same day ARFD made a statement presenting its
strict position on that fact and declaring its intention to discuss
the issue of expediency of its participation in the coalition in the
coming days.

The ARFD statement read:

"Normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations has been the pivotal
issue of Armenia’s state-political agenda in the past months.

ARFD has repeatedly stated that good neighborly relations can be
established between the two countries only by Turkey’s recognizing
the Armenian Genocide and by restoration of Armenian people’s
rights. Raising the blockade and establishment of diplomatic relations
without preconditions can be only the first steps on that way. We
consider absolutely inadmissible normalization of relations with
Turkey at the expense of our state’s sovereignty and viability and
of the national-state rights of the generations.

Being inflexible with regard to these principles we consider
inadmissible and condemnable RA Foreign Ministry’s signing the April
22 statement with Turkey.

We consider that immediately on the eve of the commemoration day of
the greatest tragedy of Armenian people, April 24, and in conditions of
the Turkish leaders’ recent statements on Nagorno Karabakh settlement
and in general their openly anti-Armenian statements and under their
dictating conditions that document’s appearance delivers a blow to
Armenia’s and Armenian people’s interests.

Recording that this process implies a change in Armenia’s foreign
political course in negative respect, ARFD is going to discuss the
issue of expediency of its participation in the coalition in the
coming days."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress