OPEN BORDER MEANS TOURISTS VISITING TURKEY WILL VISIT ARMENIA TOO: TURKISH CULTURE MINISTER

Tert.am
12:33 16.10.09

If the Armenian-Turkish border is opened the number of the tourists
to Armenia will greatly increase, Turkish Deputy Minister of Culture
and Tourism Ismet Yilmaz stated during his meeting with Armenian
journalists in Ankara.

According to him, Turkey is among the leading countries in terms
of tourism development. Last year alone saw 28 million tourists in
Turkey and the number, according to the deputy minister, can increase.

"If the border opens, tourists visiting Turkey will also wish to
see neighbouring Armenia and will come to your country from ours,"
Yilmaz said.

Yilmaz found it difficult to answer how many Armenian tourists
visit Turkey annually, stating that their number comprises a small
percentage of the overall volume. More tourists come from Russia,
Germany, Holland, and England than any other country. As for Armenia,
according to information provided to Yilmaz, 50,000 Armenian citizens
enter Turkey, but mostly for business purposes.

Referring to the issue of preservation of Armenian monuments in Turkey,
the Turkish minister said that monuments of all the minorities are
either renovated or will be renovated.

"Preservation of all the monuments within Turkish territory falls
under our responsibility. All of them will be renovated. And for that,
time, funds and will are necessary."

According to the deputy minister, there is will: Turkey’s government
allocates a certain portion of the budget for that purpose. As for
time, renovation lasts a long time.

Touching upon the Genocide issue, the deputy minister, naturally,
said nothing new, but only repeated his Turkish colleagues’ customary
opinion: the issue must be examined, and "the two sides’ opinions
must be heard."