Agence France Presse
May 1, 2009 Friday 1:21 PM GMT
Armenia opposition leader supports mending Turkey ties
YEREVAN, May 1 2009
Armenia’s former president, opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian told
a crowd of supporters Friday that his party would back efforts to mend
the country’s fraught ties with Turkey.
Ter-Petrosian told about 3,500 supporters at a rally in central
Yerevan that his Armenian National Congress "is in favour of the
soonest settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations and is ready to
support all positive steps."
Armenia and Turkey last month announced a "road map" deal for talks
that could lead to the normalising of ties and the opening of their
border.
Ankara has refused to establish diplomatic links with Armenia over its
efforts to have World War I-era massacres of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks recognised as genocide — a label Turkey strongly rejects.
The efforts at reconciliation are facing opposition from nationalists
on both sides and an Armenian nationalist party quit the country’s
ruling coalition last month over the deal.
Ter-Petrosian remains highly influential in Armenia, where he was
president from its 1991 independence from the Soviet Union until 1998.
He came second to President Serzh Sarkisian in a presidential election
last year, which opposition supporters allege was rigged.
Ten people were killed in clashes between riot police and
Ter-Petrosian’s supporters after the vote.
Ter-Petrosian has announced he will run in a May 31 vote to choose a
new mayor of Yerevan.