SERZH SARGSYAN HAS OPENED A NEW PAGE, PRIME MINISTER SAYS

Aysor
Feb 12 2010
Armenia

Armenian President had opened a new page in Armenia-Turkey relations,
said Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian at the panel discussion on
"Armenia-Turkey relations and cross-border regionalism."

"This is a completely deliberate step. I think, you’ll agree that
Armenia’s President has opened a new page in Armenia-Turkey relations.

We are dealing with new reality. And whether our opponents like this
or not, we all have to reckon with this reality," said Prime Minister.

"We’ve been offered an exclusive chance, and we must snatch at a
chance. The authorities show a political will in the process on
normalisation of relations and border’s opening," said PM, keeping
in view the importance of Armenian President’s speech in London’s
Chatham House on Wednesday, February 10.

Tigran Sarkisian also pointed that Armenian President’s message to
his counterpart Abdullah Gul is another clear confirmation of strong
and resolute positions of President Sargsyan over that issue.

If Turkey’s government ratifies protocols, neither obstacle will arise
in Armenian Parliament, according to Mr. Sarkisian. "We can’t wait so
long. Our counterparts in reasonable terms must answer the question
how they see normalisation of relations, and whether they are going
to show a political will," he said.

It’s worth mentioning that the panel discussion "Armenia-Turkey
relations and cross-border regionalism" is being held in Yerevan with
participation of Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian, U.S.

Ambassador to Armenia Marie L. Jovanovich, and TEPAV’s pesident,
Professor Guven Sak.

The consultations are organized by the American Chamber of Commerce
in Armenia (AmCham) and The Economic Policy Research Foundation of
Turkey (TEPAV), with the support of the U.S. Embassy Yerevan.