KAREN BEKARYAN: I VIEW TURKISH PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT AS RACIST

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.04.2010 14:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia had to give a harsh response to Turkish
Prime Minister’s statement on possible deportation of 100 thousand
illegal Armenian workers from the country, according to Karen Bekaryan,
chairman of European Integration NGO.

"The Armenian authorities should have initiated the process of
withdrawal of signature from the protocols on normalization of
relations with Turkey," Mr. Bekaryan told reporters on Friday. "In
addition, the Foreign Ministry should have called on Armenian citizens
to refrain from visiting Turkey.

"I view the Turkish Prime Minister’s statement as racist," he said.

As to the Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, Mr. Bekaryan said much depends
on the forthcoming Sargsyan-Obama-Erdogan meeting in Washington.

"There is a slim chance that the protocols will be ratified," he said.

Asked to comment on the Karabakh process, Mr. Bekaryan said, "The
OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs come to understand that resolution of the
conflict is impossible without re-engagement of NKR in the negotiation
process." Assessing the possibility of resumption of hostilities as
low, he said that "war is unlikely but we should be prepared for it."

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation. On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional
Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to
the country’s Organic Law.

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as
result of the ethnic cleansing the latter launched in the final years
of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire
was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh
and a security zone consisting of 7 regions is now under control
of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks
mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress