OPENING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER WILL PROVIDE SOLUTION TO ARMENIA’S PROBLEMS, EX FOREIGN MINISTER

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.09.2009 20:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Protocols on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
ties do not create equal conditions for establishing friendly relations
with Turkey, ex-Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said today in Yerevan,
during a discussion devoted to Armenian-Turkish ties. "After getting
familiarized with documents it becomes clear that Armenian side was
forced to accept either the Protocols or the negotiations over them,
based on the idea that Armenia’s development and existence depends on
border opening. In short, documents pave Turkey’s way to what it has
been striving for over 17 years," Oskanyan noted. Current situation,
he said, is similar to late 1997 when Armenian authorities were
using all possible methods to explain to people that the country
could develop without the settlement of Karabakh problem.

"Armenia’s economy is currently experiencing 18% downfall. Diaspora
has got detached from its motherland. Armenia’s not a democratic
state. Opening of Armenian-Turkish border will not provide solution
to those problems," Vardan Oskanyan stressed, adding that Armenia’s
leadership seeks to resolve the country’s internal problem beyond
its borders but that cannot be achieved by signing Protocols.

In the meantime, ex-Foreign Minister said he was not against
Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. Border opening, according to him,
is first of all necessary for Ankara considering that Armenian side
does not have to make haste. "We might open border in a couple of
years, having a much more acceptable and favorable document with
Turkey. Besides, publicity of the process became our enemy. We might
have conducted talks, agreed on certain points and only thereafter
introduced a concrete document to society," Vardan Oskanyan stated.

Besides, he added, that Ankara has several times pushed Armenia to
renounce Protocols.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress