ARMENIA REPEATEDLY STATED RELUCTANCE TO DISCUSS KARABAKH ISSUE WITH TURKEY: SHARMAZANOV

news.am
April 12 2010
Armenia

The Nagorno-Karabakh problem will not be discussed at the
Sargsyan-Erdogan meeting to be held today, Eduard Sharmazanov,
Secretary of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) faction told
NEWS.am, commenting on the Turkish side’s recent statement.

"The Armenian side has repeatedly stated it has no intention to
discus the Nagorno-Karabakh problem with Turkey, as that state
displays a biased approach to the problem. I do not think that
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process will be discussed at the
Sargsyan-Erdogan meeting," Sharmazanov said.

As regards the possibility of any result in the process of ratifying
the Armenian-Turkish protocols, Sharmazanov pointed out that Serzh
Sargsyan’s consent to meet with Recep Erdogan is evidence of the
Armenian side’s good will and commitment to normalizing relations
with Turkey without any preconditions. "I think that, as long as
negotiations go on, progress may be expected at any stage. In any case,
the ball is now on the Turkish part of the field. Ankara must realize
if it remains committed to its signature on the Armenian-Turkish
protocols in Zurich," he said.

Vladimir Karapetyan of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) voiced
his concern over the fact that, despite his previous statements,
the Armenian President accepted Erdogan’s proposal for a meeting in
Washington. "Turkey wants to simulate an intensified dialogue with
Armenia on the threshold of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide to impede the process of international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. President Sargsyan, in turn, helps Ankara’s policy
by accepting Erdogan’s proposal," Karapetyan said.

He is also concerned over President Sargsyan’s consent to discuss
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem with Erdogan. "If Sargsyan had not given
his consent to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh problem with Edrogan, he
would have either refused to meet with the Turkish Premier or refuted
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s statement that Erdogan
and Sargsyan would discuss the issue in Washington," Karapetyan said.

The Armenian President and the Turkish Premier are in Washington,
USA, to participate in the nuclear security summit. The two are to
hold a meeting this evening.