TURKISH PREMIER SAYS "ARMENIAN RESOLUTIONS" TO HARM ARMENIA

Anadolu Agency
March 16 2010
Turkey

Ankara, 16 March: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on
Tuesday [16 March] that the crisis which took place due to Armenian
resolutions would harm Armenia.

Erdogan replied to questions of Huseyin Alkan from BBC Turkish service
in British capital of London.

Erdogan said nearly 170,000 Armenians lived in Turkey currently and
100,000 of them were living in Turkey illegally. "We are ignoring
the situation of them now. But if it is needed, I will tell them that
you should go back to your country. They are not my citizens. I don’t
have to keep them in my country," he said.

"The current developments are not our problem. It is the problem of
Armenia. This country must make a very important decision. Armenia
should be saved from diaspora’s control," he said.

In regard to relations between Turkey and EU, Erdogan said the EU
should keep its promise regarding the country’s EU accession process.

A revision should be brought up in regard to the chapters which were
not opened, he said. "There are four chapters on which we can talk. We
are working on these four chapters. I think that Spain’s presidency
term will be like a signal flare," he said.

Replying to a question on opening of ports to Greek Cypriot ships,
Erdogan said, "If both parties open their ports mutually, we are
ready for that. We want the EU to keep its words."

When asked whether tension with the United States (caused by Armenian
resolution) will overshadow the role that Turkey wants to play in the
Middle East, Erdogan said, "We will do what we can. We are exerting
efforts with good will. We are working to contribute to world peace."