70 000 ILLEGAL ARMENIANS WORK FOR TURKEY

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
14:04 / 08/11/2009

"Today Azeris, Turkmen, Uzbeks, Georgians, Sudanese and Armenians work
illegally in Turkey. You are not mistaken-Armenians too. Turkey is
a poor country but still feeds the neighbors," the newspaper reads,
underlining there are about sixty-seventy thousand illegal workers
in Turkey.

"A year ago Turkish Prime-Minister stated there were 50 000 illegal
Armenians working in the country, the head of Internal Affairs Ministry
said 53 000, while former Foreign Minister Yashar Yakish mentioned
70 000," the article reads.

Begun appeals to RA President: "Armenia’s population is 2.5-3 mln,
of which 70 000 earn their living in Turkey. If we assume one worker
feeding 3-4 people, this number comes to 210 000. This is a huge
number for Armenia. How many Armenians get work permit in France,
Belgium, Canada or Netherlands? Illegally working Armenians would be
deported immediately from those countries."

The newspaper underlines in short accents that RA President pushes away
Turkey’s lent friendly hand, refusing to come "to football match that
is a symbol of friendship." You may come or not. "However, learning
of 200-300 thousands illegal workers making their living in Turkey,
you should come and apologize," the author concludes.

Under Swiss auspices, on April 22 the Armenian and Turkish
governments have agreed on a framework, signing a roadmap of relations’
normalization and border gate unblocking with no preconditions. Thus,
Armenian Presidents statement on complying with the clause cannot
be viewed as precondition, as it is already agreed with Turkish
authorities. The matter is different, if the Turkish officials are
not ready to meet political agreements and obligations, trying to
elude from fulfilling their commitments calling them preconditions
of Armenia.