Armenia always stands for normalization of relations with Turkey without preconditions and this stance is reflected in Armenia-Turkey Protocols, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan said at the 73rd NATO PA Rose-Roth seminar in Yerevan.
According to him, Protocols contain no preconditions. “Our initial goal was to create favorable conditions for further normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations. But it does not imply Armenia’s intention to deny Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, I repeat Ottoman Empire, not Turkish Republic. Once Nelson Mandela said that establishment of relations does not mean disavowal of history. Three million Armenians disappeared in Ottoman Turkey in the beginning of 20th century, and no one knows what happened to them, what is this if not a Genocide,” he stated, adding that international recognition of Genocide contributes to prevention of similar crimes against humanity in the future.
Kirakosyan recalled that Armenia did not lay down this issue as precondition in Armenia-Turkey relations’ normalization. “Armenia is ready to ratify the Protocols, while Turkey unfortunately sets forth preconditions, linking normalization of bilateral relations with Karabakh peace process,” Deputy FM stressed.
However linking these processes of different origin and solution means jeopardize both of them. “Nevertheless, Turkey seeks to artificially intensify Karabakh peace process in favor of Azerbaijan,” Kirakosyan noted.
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