THERE ARE CONCERNS, BUT THEY CANNOT BECOME OBSTACLES, SERZH SARGSYAN
Tert.am
14:27 07.10.09
On October 6, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met with more
than 100 representatives of national large Armenian communities,
organizations and structures of the Near East, Egypt, Iran and the
Persian Gulf States.
Before the meeting, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, visited Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
Sargsyan and His Holiness Aram I Catholicos had a talk on issues
related to the establishment process of Armenian-Turkish relations
and the presigned Protocols.
In Beirut, Sargsyan made a speech at the beginning of the meeting
referring to the key viewpoints and concerns voiced on the
establishment process of the Armenian-Turkish relations and the
presigned Protocols. As announced by the Armenian president’s press
office, there was a lively and open dialogue, after which Sargsyan
answered participants’ questions.
Touching upon concerns regarding the establishment process of
Armenian-Turkish relations, the Armenian president emphasized: "I
also have concerns. In many circumstances I myself try to compare
my emotions with the emotions of those who are pessimistic, who,
emerging from the experience of a bitter past, consider that under no
circumstances should one talk or negotiate with Turkey. This is all
objective. On the other hand, are there concerns? Of course there
are. But can those concerns be a reason to hinder the establishing
of relations?"
President Sargsyan also thoroughly referred to all the main concerns to
the establishment of Armenian-Turkish relations, and gave additional
clarifications. "We have numerously stated that the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide is not only a matter of reinstating justice,
but also an important factor for the security of Armenia and the
Armenian people," Sargsyan stated.
Sargsyan also noted that as a result of the Armenian-Turkish process,
in the past year, mentions of the Armenian Genocide and broadcast
coverage in lea antially.
Referring to the concern that as a result of the process, Turkey
can assume a role in the settlement process of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Sargsyan said, "The Mountainous Karabakh conflict will be
resolved only when we see that we have that for which our nation has
struggled since 1988."