Armenian Public TV
Sept 13 2008
ARMENIAN LEADER SET TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH TURKEY, AZERBAIJAN
[Presenter] Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and other local
officials today attended a housewarming party given by the Saghatelyan
family in the village of Shirakamut in Armenia’s Lori earthquake
zone. The housewarming party is a small one at the national level, but
it is very important for a human being and for a specific family, the
president said.
The Armenian president also familiarized himself with work of the
Armenian Foundation for social investments and the construction work
carried out in the earthquake zone.
[Passage omitted: video shows Sargsyan speaking with Saghatelyan
family’s members and they expressed their thanks to the president;
Armenia’s senior architect saying that newly-constructed houses in the
earthquake zone are more earthquake-proof]
[Sargsyan] The 20th anniversary of the 1988 devastating earthquake
will be marked this year. We have not eliminated the results of the
earthquake so far. There are still 7,000 homeless families in the
disaster zone. The housewarming party is a small party at the national
level, but it is very important for a human being and for a specific
family.
[Passage omitted; correspondent speaking about the work planned to do
in the earthquake zone in the near future]
[Presenter] The Armenian president also answered questions from
journalists in the village of Shirakamut. Sargsyan described the
results of the Turkish president’s visit to Yerevan as positive. The
president also answered questions on the [ruling] Republican Party’s
decision to replace [Speaker] Tigran Torosyan by another
parliamentarian and the decision to release [the brother of the
assassinated Armenian former Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan] Armen
Sargsyan on parole.
[Correspondent] The Armenian and Turkish public have already given
their assessments to Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s visit to
Armenia. The overwhelming majority of people has described Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan’s initiative and Gul’s visit to Armenia as
positive. Sargsyan said that they have achieved their goal and the
goal is to improve the atmosphere. During the meeting, Gul said that
Turkey has the political will to discuss problems between the two
countries, Sargsyan said.
[Sargsyan] I am happy that Mr Gul has shared his impressions during
his meeting with Azerbaijani President [Ilham Aliyev in Baku on 10
September]. I think it is very important that the atmosphere, essence
and component of our talks are to be expanded. During the meeting, Mr
Gul said that if need be, he is ready to help Azerbaijan and Armenia
for the settlement of the conflict between the two countries. I have
accepted it with pleasure because only an abnormal man can turn down
an offer of help. However, there should be made distinction between
assistance and a mediation. I am sure that any step designed to
contribute to the OSCE Mink Group co-chairs’ activities in the
resolution of this issue should be assessed positively.
[Correspondent] The Armenian and Turkish presidents also discussed
issues concerning the establishment of a Caucasus Stability and
Cooperation Platform. Sargsyan said that Turkey had assured him that
the Caucasus platform was not an alternative to any structure or
format, this is aimed at improving the atmosphere. Sargsyan said that
similar initiatives should be welcomed and it should not reject any
discussions to this effect, if it is designed to ensure our security.
[Sargsyan] Those who have nothing to say or have a complex reject
negotiations. We have no complex. We live in this region together with
our neighbours. We have good relations with some of them. We had no
relations with one of them altogether [refers to Turkey] until Gul’s
visit [to Yerevan]. But we should restore and improve our relations
with another [refers to Azerbaijan] one as well. Therefore, we should
come up with an initiative and be actively engaged in all dialogue. We
have something to say and we have never confined ourselves to an
inferiority complex and will never do so. We are neither inferior nor
superior to anyone, we treat everyone with respect and wish they also
treat us with respect.
[Correspondent] Sargsyan has received a letter from Gul two days ago,
in which the Turkish president highly praised his visit to Armenia,
his negotiations [with his Armenian counterpart] and talks between the
foreign ministers of the two countries held following the football
match.
[Passage omitted: Sargsyan speaking about the football between the
Armenian and Turkish national teams in Yerevan]
[Correspondent] Sargsyan said that Armenia expressed a fair and
sincere position during the war between Georgia and South Ossetia.
[Sargsyan] We are strategic partners with the Russian Federation, and
the destiny made us neighbours with Georgians over thousands of
years. We should fulfil our commitments both as neighbours and as
strategic partners. If we are able to distinguish between them and be
sincere, I think we can be successful. I have spoken about these
issues with Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev in Sochi. I will most
likely visit Georgia to discuss similar issues with the Georgian
president, too.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
