PRECONDITIONS FOR OPENING THE BORDER WITH ARMENIA STILL VITAL ON TURKEY’S POLITICAL AGENDA
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
11.06.2009 17:17

Turkey approaches the issue of the Armenian Genocide more realistically
today, because it’s clear that the Armenian side will never refuse
from the fact, Turkologist, expert of the "Noravank" Foundation Ruben
Melkonyan told a press conference today. He believes that Turkish
specialists are assured that the Genocide issue has grown into a
component of Armenian identity and it’s hard to demand to refuse
from it. Ruben Melkonayn is confident that the issue of the Armenian
Genocide is a political and legal question rather than a historical
one, and expecting the recognition of the fact of genocide by Turkey
in the near future would be unrealistic.

According to the Turkologist, after the "football diplomacy" the
Armenian-Turkish relations have reached some point and as a result
of certain international impulses Turkey has started addressing the
issues of establishment of relations with Armenia, and opening of
the shared border with greater attention and concern.

Summing up the positions of Armenia and Turkey on the establishment
of diplomatic relations, the expert said: "Armenia has declared many
times that it is ready to establish relations with Turkey without
preconditions.

However, preconditions still remain vital on Turkey’s pol itical
agenda whether open or disguised.