ARF Calls For End To Turkey-Armenia Talks

ARF CALLS FOR END TO TURKEY-ARMENIA TALKS

Yerkir
May 27th, 2009

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council
of Armenia issued an announcement Wednesday urging the Serzh Sarkisian
administration to immediately end its negotiations with Turkey.

At a press conference, ARF Supreme Council of Armenia chairman Armen
Rustamian read the statement, which called the diplomatic efforts of
the past year to normalize relations with Turkey a failure.

Below is a translated text of the announcement:

In assessing the year-long process to normalize Armenia-Turkey
relations and the current situation created in that arena, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia finds that the
so-called "soccer diplomacy" effort has failed. Thus we affirm that:

* Until now the settlement process has served and is serving only
Turkey’s interests. On the one hand, Turkey is deflecting the
international community’s attention from its internal problems and
hypocritically acting as an advocate of establishing normal relations
with neighbors. On the other hand, the Armenian agenda is being driven
out of the international arena step by step.

* By gravely violating agreements, Turkey effectively has not
dropped its preconditions. Furthermore it is attempting to dictate
conditions on the Karabakh conflict resolution process, visibly taking
Azerbaijan’s side and obscuring the Armenian-Azeri conflict.

* The preconditions presented by Turkey are not only unacceptable
but are also illegal. They insult our national dignity and endanger
the future of our dual Armenian states and our the Armenian people.

* In reality, Turkey is continuing its anti-Armenian policies, while,
at the same time, attempting to play the international community. It
is evident that the opening of the border which it closed is its
international responsibility and cannot serve as leverage or an
opportunity to force preconditions on Armenia.

* At this juncture, Armenia and the Armenian people must prove that
despite the blockade by Turkey, they can put forward bold political
and economic policies and realize them, becoming a vital force in
the region and a developed country, without compromising our national
interests.

Based on these, we call on the president of the Republic of Armenia
to reassess these policies and end the negotiations.

We believe that Armenian should be guided by the following approaches:
the only way to normalize relations between the two countries and
address any pending issues is for Turkey immediately to end the
land blockade to adhere to international norms as the relate to
establishment of diplomatic relations.