ARMENIA AND TURKEY HAVE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO RECONCILE: RA PREMIER

news.am
Feb 12 2010
Armenia

RA Premier Tigran Sargsyan reckons that Armenia-Turkey relations’
normalization should be considered in three planes. Firstly, what
are authorities’ tasks and what responsibility they bear for the
process; secondly, how the world community perceives prospects for
Armenia-Turkey relations; and thirdly, what is the world public’s
response to the process. These issues were touched upon by the Premier
in the course of "Armenia-Turkey relations and marginal regionalism"
workshop.

According to Sargsyan, initiating Armenia-Turkey reconciliation
Armenian leadership clearly understands the responsibility and deems
that it is a new page in two countries’ relations. He quoted an excerpt
from RA President’s message: "The time has come to have both countries’
leaderships to exercise political will and ratify the Protocols."

Thereafter, referring to contradictions in the process, including
those in Diaspora, Sargsyan said: "It is natural, as we were through
so much pain throughout the history, that will be very difficult to
overcome. People suppose that this is not normalization, but a fallacy,
and that we are cheated to lose our vigilance and unprepared for facing
challenges. This is why we cannot wait everlastingly, there should be
a sound term to get an answer from our Turkish counterparts," he added.

RA Premier also underlined that Armenia and Turkey have an exceptional
opportunity to establish relations, as it is hardly often found when
all world powers hold unanimous stand on the same issue, as it is now.

"It will be unwise not take this opportunity," Sargsyan concluded.