NEITHER USA NOR RUSSIA ABLE TO HOLD ARMENIA AND TURKEY FROM ESTABLISHING RELATIONS: TURKISH EXPERT SAYS

ArmInfo
2009-04-29 11:59:00

Neither USA nor Russia able to hold Armenia and Turkey from
establishing relations. Moreover, only Turkey and Armenia should
be interested in the negotiation process between our states, Bulent
Aras, Professor, Dean of Isik University Department of International
Relations, senior fellow at the SETA, Ankara-based think-tank,
told ArmInfo.

‘Armenia’s image in the European part of Turkey has become more
positive recently. Nevertheless, the greatest part of the regions
in our country prefers Azerbaijanis as people closer to Turks. But
Armenians are also close to us’, he said.

As regards the possibility of Turkey’s recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, Bulent Aras said that in the years of the World War I not
only Armenians but also other nations including Turks were killed in
the Ottoman Empire.’The past should be left for Armenian and Turkish
historians to study, we should live in the present’, he said.

Turkish president A. Gul visited Yerevan at the invitation of Armenian
president Serzh Sargsyan to watch Armenia vs. Turkey match on Sept
6 2008. For his part the Armenian President accepted the proposal
of his Turkish counterpart to watch a return match on October 14
2009. The two countries lack diplomatic relations and their border
has been blocked since 1993.

Genocide of Armenians has been recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France,
Lithuania, the Lower Chamber of Italian Parliament, the majority of
American States, the Greek, Cyprian, Argentinean, Belgian Parliaments,
the Parliament of Wales, the National Council of Switzerland, the
House of Commons of the Canadian Parliament and Polish Seim. Turkey
denies the genocide of 1,5 million Armenians in 1915-1923.