Armenian president: Armenian people to support normalization of relations with Turkey
27.04.2009,
23:40
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan briefed the members of the country’s National Security Council on negotiations to normalize Armenia-Turkish relations and expressed confidence that the Armenian people would support this normalization.
YEREVAN, April 27. /ARKA/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan briefed the members of the country’s National Security Council on negotiations to normalize Armenia-Turkish relations and expressed confidence that the Armenian people would support this normalization.
Sargsyan stressed that the joint statement made by foreign ministries of Armenia, Turkey and Switzerland on the night of April 23 is a record of efforts to improve Armenia-Turkey relations, the presidential press service reported.
Foreign ministries of Armenia and Turkey, together with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs made a joint statement about normalization of the relations on the night of April 23. The statement reads that the parties reached an agreement on a wide-ranged settlement of bilateral relations. The sides also agreed on establishing a “road map” for normalization of the relations.
Armenian President expressed confidence that the document will be presented to the society in the near future and that the people and the society will give their approval to its provisions.
“Our approach is clear and simple – there cannot be closed borders in Europe in the 21st century. In order to be an efficient state, we should diversify our transport corridors, energy sources, geography of economic ties.” The President said.
He pointed out the recent speculations saying that Armenian-Turkish relations depend on Turkish-Azerbaijani relations or that concessions on Karabakh issue are a prerequisite for normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.
“I repeat it once again - Azerbaijani topic has never been spoken over in our relations with Turks, neither has been Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Improvement in Armenian-Turkish relations may, and most probably will, have positive impact over settlement of Karabakh problem, but it cannot be a pre-condition,” the President said.–0--
Sargsyan stressed that the joint statement made by foreign ministries of Armenia, Turkey and Switzerland on the night of April 23 is a record of efforts to improve Armenia-Turkey relations, the presidential press service reported.
Foreign ministries of Armenia and Turkey, together with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs made a joint statement about normalization of the relations on the night of April 23. The statement reads that the parties reached an agreement on a wide-ranged settlement of bilateral relations. The sides also agreed on establishing a “road map” for normalization of the relations.
Armenian President expressed confidence that the document will be presented to the society in the near future and that the people and the society will give their approval to its provisions.
“Our approach is clear and simple – there cannot be closed borders in Europe in the 21st century. In order to be an efficient state, we should diversify our transport corridors, energy sources, geography of economic ties.” The President said.
He pointed out the recent speculations saying that Armenian-Turkish relations depend on Turkish-Azerbaijani relations or that concessions on Karabakh issue are a prerequisite for normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.
“I repeat it once again - Azerbaijani topic has never been spoken over in our relations with Turks, neither has been Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Improvement in Armenian-Turkish relations may, and most probably will, have positive impact over settlement of Karabakh problem, but it cannot be a pre-condition,” the President said.–0--
