ARMENIAN EX-PRESIDENT FATHER OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RECONCILIATION, ANC REP STATES
news.am
April 27 2010
Armenia
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation was initiated by the former Armenian
president Robert Kocharyan and former foreign minister Vartan Oskanian
– they were conducting secret negotiations, being actually the authors
of the policy, Levon Zurabyan, Central Office Coordinator, Armenian
National Movement (ANM), told reporters. He pointed out his surprise
at Vartan Oskanian’s criticism against President Serzh Sargsyan.
Serzh Sargsyan has made "a great many" mistakes, and, under the
circumstances, hardly anything could be advised him, Zurabyan said.
"But we are not going to give him any advice," he said, pointing out
that Serzh Sargsyan got involved in the disastrous Armenian-Turkish
process after he had considered all his steps beforehand. "The
President considered he would enlist strong international support. At
present the international community is of high opinion of him, as
Armenia has never made concessions like these," Zurabyan said.
According to him, Serzh Sargsyan is ruling the country due to the
following factors: violence and the international community’s support.
"National unity is the best way of opposing any external challenges.
So the authorities must stop warring against their own people. The
release of political prisoners would be the first step, which would
possibly be followed by negotiations between the authorities and the
Opposition," Zurabyan said.
NEWS.am reminds readers that in addressing the recent developments
in the Armenian-Turkish process yesterday, the former Armenian FM
Vartan Okanian was highly critical of President Serzh Sargsyan. He
pointed out that the Armenian authorities preferred the worst way of
suspending the Armenian-Turkish process.