TURKEY’S OBJECTIVE — TO SPLIT AND WEAKEN ARMENIANS

news.am
April 19 2010
Armenia

Initiating dialogue with Armenia, Turkey pursued the only objective
— to split and weaken our nation, ARF Dashnaktsutyun leader Vahan
Hovhannisyan told the journalists.

According to him, Turkey sowed discord between Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh and quite succeeded in implementation of its plans
related to Armenia and Diaspora. "Presently Ankara seeks to sow discord
within Diaspora. Turkish authorities’ intentions to meet Armenian
communities’ representatives worldwide pursue the mentioned aim,
as Ankara has already announced it will hold meetings with Armenian
non-radical organizations," Hovhannisyan noted. He added that ARFD
foreign offices will decide independently whether to meet with Turkish
representatives or not.

Earlier, Turkish Premier and Foreign Minister declared of their
intention to meet with Armenian Diaspora representatives to discuss
the issues urgent for both nations.

Hovhannisyan also stated that Armenia’s second president Robert
Kocharyan had never been off-politics, thus raising of this issue
is incorrect. "The matter might concern return of Kocharyan to the
leadership position. As to ARFD’s stance, we have not discussed the
issue as it is not on agenda," politician noted, adding that certain
circles are concerned over his return. "My feeling is that those people
are envious of Kocharyan. Say media put the fact of RA president’s
visit to Woodrow Wilson memorial in a way that it was unprecedented
move, forgetting that Kocharyan paid tribute to the memory of the
former American president 15 years ago," Hovhannisyan stated.

Touching upon ARFD plans, the MP underlined that it was decided to
convene an enlarged meeting of the forces opposing the Protocols on
April 22. He also emphasized the signature collection against the
Protocols, informing that as of today 220.000 people have signed
the petition. Hovhannisyan recalled that ARFD rally will be held on
April 23.