KAREN BEKARIAN: IMPEDING PROCESS OF IMPROVEMENT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS IS NOT IN TURKEY’S INTERESTS

Noyan Tapan
Aug 25, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. In the opinion of Karen Bekarian, the
Chairman of the European Integration NGO, unless there are essential
changes in the process of improvement of Armenian-Turkish relations,
going to the return football game will be necessary.

"Leaving for Turkey on a return visit does not mean that Turkey has
improved everything. In the future we will witness if not direct
then indirect developments. October is not far away and some steps
will be made clear in September," K. Bekarian said at an August 25
press conference.

In his words, Turkey by all possible means will try to lay upon Armenia
the reason of impeding the process of improvement of Armenian-Turkish
relations.

He said that straight after Serzh Sargsyan’s statement the opinion
was spread in Turkey, according to which, Armenia puts forward
preconditions.

Meanwhile, according to K. Bekarian, impeding the process is not in
Turkey’s interests. In his words, if Turley wants to play an active
role in the region, it cannot have no relations at all with any of
the regional countries.

K. Bekarian also mentioned that Turkey has always tried to link
improvement of Armenian-Turkish relations with the Nagorno Karabakh
settlement. In his words, for years Turkey has been declared a hostage
to the "One nation, two states" policy.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress