If Only Nalbandian had Agreed…

If Only Nalbandian had Agreed…

14:40 ¢ 26.03.10

If Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had agreed, his Turkish
counterpart Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu would have spoken about the idea of a
`just [or fair] memory’ in his speech to be delivered after the
signing of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols in Zurich last year, DavutoÄ?lu
said during a CNN Turk program, referring to the Armenian Genocide
under Ottoman Empire rule in 1915.

According to local Turkish daily Milliyet, DavutoÄ?lu said that a
one-sided approach to the Genocide issue is not right.

`Should Mr Nalbandian have agreed during the signing ceremony of the
Protocols, I was going to deliver a speech in which I would put the
stress on the idea of a `just memory.’ That is to say, this whole
story should not be viewed as a one-sided memory. We should create
such an atmosphere that will allow to understand what happend to
Armenians. But they should also have respect for our history¦,’ said
DavutoÄ?lu.

Referring to the Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, DavutoÄ?lu said that
there is a psychological barrier between the two nations which should
be overcome.

`This issue has psychological, judicial, political and historical
aspects. If Armenians and Turks want to begin the reconciliation
process, they should overcome all the barriers, including the
psychological barrier,’ said DavutoÄ?lu.

Tert.am