From: EurasiaDigest (digest@eurasianet.org)
Date: Wed Oct 10 2007 - 10:27:20 EDT
ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CALLS FOR EU PRESSURE ON TURKEY
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian on October 9 called on the European Union to pressure Turkey to open its border with Armenia, and reiterated that Armenia holds "no preconditions" for normalizing relations with its neighbor, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reported. In a speech to the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels, Oskanian noted that several "outstanding issues" continue to hinder the normalization of relations, but stressed that they should not be allowed to prevent a dialogue between Armenia and Turkey. Oskanian's call for Turkey to open its border and establish full diplomatic relations echoed his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York last week and his meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Ali Babacan, at that time. Oskanian also appealed directly to the Foreign Affairs Committee to put more pressure on Turkey to open a dialogue with Armenia, and explained that the "border opening is not only important for Armenia, but it is also important for the European Union,
because Turkey is the natural bridge between the Caucasus and Europe, and the European Union." Oskanian added that "without Turkey's equitable and even-handed policy vis-a-vis our region, our relationship is not as effective as it could have been under conditions of normal ties between Turkey and Armenia." RG
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