SERZH SARGSYAN: NORMAL AND RIGHT WAY IS WHEN SIDES FULFILL THEIR AGREEMENTS

Noyan Tapan
Sep 1, 2009

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President’s Press Office
has provided to Noyan Tapan the text of President Serzh Sargsyan’s
interview to BBC.

Below is interview’s text:

BBC correspondent: Mr President, are you leaving for Turkey to watch
the return game of the two countries’ national teams?

Serzh Sargsyan: You know, this question has two answers. The first
answer is that my leaving or not is not essential. I mean that we
can not link leaving for the football match with the relations with
Turkey. Do you understand?

Let us imagine at least two variants. Let us suppose that we freeze
our negotiations with Turkey and I leave for Turkey to watch the
football match.

And the second variant: we continue the negotiations but I do not
leave for Turkey. Which is more important? I mean that if you ask
your question in the context of negotiations with Turkey and whether
we can achieve some results by October – my answer will be this.

BBC correspondent: And what step do you expect from Ankara to disfreeze
the negotiations?

Serzh Sargsyan: I have declared that twice and have said the following:
I will leave for Turkey to watch the football match if our borders
are already open or if we are on its threshold. That is, if the
Turks fulfill our agreements, it will be one thing and if they
do not fulfill, it will be another thing. We have agreements. I
think the normal and right way is when the sides fulfill their
agreements. Unfortunately, I have not noticed so far much willingness
or striving for fulfilling those agreements. Our wish remains the
same – to establish relations without preconditions.

BBC correspondent: Are you ready to make compromises in the issue of
the events of 1915 and in the issue of whether Turkey will recognize
them as a genocide?

Serzh Sargsyan: Naturally, it is very important: it is important for
our people, is important for Turkey and for the whole world. It is
important that historic justice be restored. It is important that our
two peoples be able to establish normal relations. It is important,
lastly, that it not recur in the future. However we do not consider
the Genocide as a precondition for establishing relations.

BBC correspondent: That is, there is a possibility of a compromise.

Serzh Sargsyan: No, it cannot be called a compromise. It is not the
case when a compromise can be spoken about. We say that yes, there
has been a Genocide and irrespective of the fact of whether Turkey
will recognize it or not, it is a fact that has been admitted by
all specialists engaged in issues of genocides worldwide, has been
recognized by many countries.

However in this case we do not consider it a precondition for
establishing relations with the Turks.

BBC correspondent: However, in any case, it hinders your relations
with Turkey. A person, to which I spoke in Yerevan, has made the
following comparison: when driving a car you should keep control of
what takes place on the way, behind you, that is why you should look
back in the mirror from time to time. However, the most important is
the way laying in front of you.

How much does this comparison reflect the situation?

Serzh Sargsyan: It is right. I understand what that man meant. He
says that we should look at the future. However, he also says that
we do not have a right to forget the past.