‘NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT THREATS, BLACKMAIL’: NALBANDIAN ON ERDOGAN’S STATEMENTS

Tert.am
15:55 â~@¢ 18.03.10

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement on deporting
Armenians living illegally in Turkey has become a serious topic in
Turkey itself, said Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian,
during a joint press conference with his Slovakian counterpart,
Miroslav LajÄ~Mák.

"Many don’t understand how such a statement could be made," said the
Armenian foreign minister, adding that today he read a story in one
of the Turkish papers in which the author asked, Who gave such advice
to the prime minister?

"But, sadly, you know, it’s not the first time such statements
have been made. Unfortunately, such statements lead to negative
consequences. Such statements also preceded the Armenian Genocide;
statements about deportation have also been made in Azerbaijan,
Sumgait, Baku and other populated areas prior to massacres being
carried out," said Nalbandian.

The Armenian foreign minister considered the statements unacceptable.

According to him, they harm the process of improving Armenian-Turkish
relations, as well as prove that Turkey’s not prepared to move forward.

"We hope that Turkey will display are more realistic approach and they
will take into account what the international community, practically
all the countries, are saying, that, it’s necessary to move forward,
without blackmailing, without preconditions, without threats,
without provocation. To move forward and carry out that agreement,
those arrangements, which were made between the two parties, and not
to threaten Armenia and other countries. This is not the path which
should be followed in a civilized world," concluded Nalbandian.