President Sargsyan. "Where are we going? Personally I am headed for
the resolution of the problems"

Opening remarks of President Sargsyan at the thematic debate on the
"Current stage of the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations"

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. This is our third meeting in this
format. As you remember, the first two meetings of this kind were
dedicated to the peaceful resolution of the NK conflict and mitigation
of the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis. For me
personally, and as I have been told for many of the participants, these
discussions were important and necessary not only for sharing views but
also for making certain adjustments in our course of actions.

Today, I propose the discussions the current stage of the
Armenian-Turkish relations. I expect that this topic will be debated in
different formats. In the coming weeks there will be various formats of
discussion, I will be initiating and participating in some of them
myself and so I’ve decided to start the series with this meeting.
Undoubtedly, with many of you we will also meet during similar
discussions elsewhere. I believe in your public activities you will be
having opportunities to present your views, while I see today’s meeting
as a fitting format for continued deliberations on a political dispute
which has started some time ago.

The process, which has started after issuing the joint declaration and
the pre-signed protocols on the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations, is really a positive and important one. And I mean this
stage of public and political discussion.

During these days I have familiarized myself with a spectrum of
different opinions, took notice of some positive, encouraging calls,
some criticism, including harsh one, and I took notice of some concern.
Surely, I see the risks as well and I have concerns too. But to
evaluate our concerns, to give a proper assessment to the risks and to
understand that there are some things we have to do, we should put all
our considerations on the table.

By inviting the President of Turkey to Armenia and by initiating this
entire process, I have been trying to open a window of opportunity for
Armenia and Turkey to normalize bilateral relations, to show that the
nation, which went through the devastation of Genocide and the Armenian
state ` sturdy and faithful to its people’s pain ` is strong enough to
reach out and point out the irrationality of moving against the flow of
the global development.

At this point I would like to invite your attention to the following:
Many would say that it is necessary to negotiate with Turkey, however
there is no need to do it openly and publicly. You all know that there
have been a number of attempts to do it and this last one indeed
differs from the previous ones by its openness. I believe, nevertheless
that it should be an open process since tension, which exists between
us, is not imaginary, not situational; that tension is not, so to say,
war of the elites. It is between our societies and that tension, or to
be straight, that animosity is the result of the darkest page of our
history ` the Armenian Genocide perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire. If
we are to normalize our relations with Turkey at all then above and
beyond the political will of Armenia’s and Turkey’s leadership it is
necessary to engage both societies. Otherwise, the problem will not be
solved. I realize that publicity has its problems because if the
process comes to a dead end then quite naturally, contradictions and
animosity I referred to will deepen.

In these first days of public debate, I haven’t heard yet an opinion
expressed by a political force in opposition to opening the borders.
Possibly, it will be voiced today, I don’t know, however I am confident
that such a stance, at least in the political field, will not be a
dominating one, it is not spoken about directly. Viewpoints that oppose
the establishment of diplomatic relations with Turkey are few or even
non-existent. And if this is the starting point for our line of
reasoning then we must be able to figure out where we are, what we
have, and where we are going. Where we are: This is the stage of
0Adiscussing the pre-signed documents, of signing and possible
ratification. Yes, I think it is possible that regarding certain parts
of the documents some people find the explanation not very convincing,
though I am confident that when it is examined from every angle and
with no prejudice, it wouldn’t be that way. But even in that case, does
it mean that we have lost over some issue? Or rather it means the
opening of a working field for debating all issues and solving them? Do
we actually conclude or commence with this stage? Let’s talk it over
today and understand it thoroughly. What do we have? We have two
pre-signed documents and an active process. Let’s us reckon together
what these documents give or take. I am sure you’re aware of the
details. How to evaluate them? As the answer to the existing problems
or the acts which create conditions for the resolution of the problems?
Let’s us think together whether we sacrifice our principles and our
understanding of truth, or instead of confining ourselves in immaculate
self-absorption we open the way to bring them to resolution, opening an
area for work. Let’s think about it.

These days many people ask me questions and the question is the
following: what’s the minimum and maximum you want to achieve?
Establishment of diplomatic relations with Turkey I view neither as
minimum, nor as maximum. I view the outcome of these processes only as
the establishment of minimal conditions which would allow to start a
dialogue with the Turks. We have many issues in the realm of the
Armenian-Turkish relations that need solving ` ranging from economic
and political to historical.

Where are we going? Personally I am headed for the resolution of the
problems. If for the resolution of any problem we have closed the door
of opportunity, please point it out. Let’s assess those problems
together. If we sincerely want to normalize relations, and I repeat, so
far not a single political force has announced publicly that it opposes
the normalization of our relations with Turkey, then let’s understand
who is going to do what and, in general, what we are going to do
together. I think this is the most important issue.