Armenian-Turkish Relations

[Armanen]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

Moscow Courting Baku With A 'Good Basis' for Solving Karabakh Conflict



MOSCOW (Combined Sources)--Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday said there was “a good basis” for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict after talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at his residence in Meindorf outside Moscow.

“It seems to us that there is now a good basis for a resolution of the conflict, which would fit with the interests of all states and would be based on the principles of international law,” Aliyev said.

“If the conflict is resolved in the near future, I am sure that there will be new perspectives for regional cooperation,” Aliyev said.

Aliyev also expressed his concern over the situation in the region following Russia's war in Georgia, saying that the conflict “should be resolved in a peaceful way, through dialogue, by finding common points and based on mutual respect.”

Aliyev visited Medvedev at his residence near Moscow for talks on last month's conflict in Georgia and on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

According to the Kommersant daily, Medvedev was to propose a package of peace initiatives for a settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to Aliyev and try at the same time to guarantee that Baku will steer clear of Western political and energy games.

Earlier this month, the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) signed a joint declaration on recent developments in the Caucasus at a meeting in Moscow. The CSTO declaration noted that the former soviet allies are “concerned with the growing military potential and escalation of tensions in the Caucasus region.”

The Kommersant posited that many observers, including those in Baku, think that phrase should be interpreted as a warning to Azerbaijan, which has been intensifying its war rhetoric, threatening to retake “territories occupied by Armenia.”

It said that source in the Russian Foreign Ministry involved in Tuesday's negotiations said openly that Moscow would like a firm guarantee from Baku that it will not consider a military option in resolving the Karabakh problem, either before or after its October presidential elections.

Moscow, which, along with France and the United States, co-chairs the OSCE Minsk Group mediating for a settlement to the conflict, plans to propose its own plan to Azerbaijan and Armenia, according to Kommersant, which added that the first point of that plan is the organization of a meeting in Moscow between Aliyev, Sarkisian and Medvedev.

Azerbaijani political scientist Ilghar Mamedov told “Novosti Azerbaijan” that Russia will help Azerbaijan resolve the conflict so long as Baku supports Moscow's energy initiatives in the region.

“Under this loyalty, the Kremlin requires, at the very least, guarantees that Azerbaijan will not join NATO and will continue its close energy cooperation with Russia,” Mamedov said.

But such a policy shift, according to Mamedov, will likely harm Baku's relations with Europe, putting a dent in plans to construct a new pipeline (Nabucco) to carry natural gas from the Caspian to southern Europe.

Mamedov explained that the variables at play will not allow for a change in the current format of the negotiations, wherein Russia takes on the sponsorship of peace talks.

Aliyev's visit to Moscow is “a component of the diplomatic game taking place in the region,” he said.

http://www.asbarez.com/index.html?showarticle=35166_9/16/2008_1

[meline]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

Thanks for the article Armanen. And here is something from the Kommersant, which goes in the same direction.

Russia Seeks Fellowship
// Moscow tries to restore its peacekeeping reputation in the region
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will hold talks today with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the Meindorf residence outside Moscow. Moscow was the initiator of this summit meeting. Kommersant has learned that Russia will propose a package of peace initiatives for a settlement of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict to Aliyev and try at the same time to guarantee that Baku will steer clear of Western political and energy games.
Divide and Conquer

The meeting between the presidents had been discussed since the beginning of the month. On September 3, they spoke by telephone, also at Russia’s initiative. Natalia Timakova, the Russian president’s press secretary, told Kommersant then that the two leaders had reached an agreement in principle on high-level negotiations. Last week, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov visited Moscow and Medvedev and Aliyev spoke again on Sunday to agree on the agenda for today’s meeting.

A Kremlin source called the close contact between the countries logical, considering Azerbaijan’s role in the region. Sources in the presidential administration say that the time for negotiations between Medvedev and Aliyev had come even earlier. Medvedev has met with Armenian President Serge Sargsyan twice this month, on September 2 at presidential residence in Sochi and three days later at the Moscow summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which Azerbaijan is not a member of.

Relations between Baku and Erevan will receive particular attention in today’s Russian-Azerbaijani talks, and specifically within the context of a settlement in the Nagorny Karabakh conflict. In the final declaration of the CSTO summit, it is noted that the allies are “concerned with the growing military potential and escalation of tensions in the Caucasus region.” Many observers, including those in Baku, think that phrase should be interpreted as a warning to Azerbaijan, where the need to retake “territories occupied by Armenia” is voiced from time to time. Source in the Russian Foreign Ministry close to today’s negotiations say openly that Moscow would like a firm guarantee from Baku that it will not consider military means to solve the Karabakh problem either before or after the October presidential elections there.

Moscow, which, along with France and the United States, took part in searching for a settlement to the Karabakh conflict as part of the OSCE Minsk group, plans to propose its own plan to Azerbaijan and Armenia. The first point of that plan is the organization of a meeting between Aliyev and Sargsyan in Russia with the participation of Medvedev. Kommersant has learned from sources near the Armenian president that Sargsyan has already approved that idea. Today Medvedev has to obtain Aliyev’s consent. To interest the Azerbaijani president in a meeting with the other two presidents, Moscow will propose a discussion of a sensitive question for Baku, that is, jurisdiction over the Lacha corridor, which connects Nagorny Karabakh with Armenia. Specifically, they are to conciliate a operation along the route to allow the safe movement of people and cargo along it without transferring it to the jurisdiction of Erevan or Stepanakert.
A Weak Link

Besides peacekeeping initiatives, Medvedev has other important topics that demand urgent discussion with Aliyev. After Russia’s military operations against Georgia, Azerbaijan has been the subject of increased attention from the West. High-ranking guests from Washington are becoming common in Baku, and Aliyev even received U.S. Vice President xxxx Cheney this month

Baku was the energy capital of the region last week when it hosted the international business forum “The Gas and Oil Potential of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan: Energy, Economy, Ecology. Partnership Strategy.” First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Yagub Eyubov assured attendees there that his country is prepared to offer its infrastructure for deliveries of Central Asian hydrocarbons to the West. Bypassing Russia, of course. Immediately after Aliyev’s Moscow talks, U.S. Assistant Deputy Secretary of State Matthew Bryza, who is cochairman of the OSCE Minsk group, will visit the Azerbaijani capital.

The West’s intensive attention to Azerbaijan does not make Russia happy, and even more so since Azerbaijan is allied with Georgia, which has severed diplomatic relations with Russia, through the GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) organization. Therefore, Russia is extremely interested in seeing to it that Azerbaijan follow through on any impulses to strengthen military ties with the West. The U.S. already offered last year to create a training camp on the Caspian like the ones in Georgia.


A Kommersant source who manages Azerbaijani affairs at the Russian Foreign Ministry said that one of the key topics in today’s talks between the two presidents will be a written ban on the presence in the Caspian region of outside armed forces. Ideally, Moscow would like principles for activities in the Caspian to be outlined in a convention. That convention is already being drafted. Russia is prepared to expand its military partnership with Azerbaijan as compensation and to fulfill its obligations to deliver armored military equipment, parts for it and firearms.
Energy partnership is a traditional topic of talks between the Russian and Azerbaijani presidents. A source in the Kremlin mentioned with satisfaction that, after operational lapses in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline during the conflict in Georgia, Azerbaijan has applied to increase the transport of its oil through the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline.

An unsettled question is the volume of Gazprom’s maximum gas purchases during the development of the second line at the Shah Deniz gas field. That is sure to be a difficult conversation, considering that Baku quite willingly responded to the West’s proposal that it participate in the Nabucco project, the implementation of which has taken on new impetus since the Russian-Georgian war.

http://www.kommersant.com/p1026605/r_527/Russia_Azerbaijan_relations/

Strikes an alarming note

[Anoush]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

Thank you Armenian and Meline for the articles and here's some more news.


BRAD SHERMAN CALLS FOR PROPOSED GEORGIA AID PACKAGE TO INCLUDE ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA

Bush Administration Rejects Suggestion

Washington, DC - Congressman Brad Sherman has called for the Administration's proposed post-conflict aid package to Georgia to include assistance to Armenia, a nation he described as an "innocent victim" in the war between Georgia and Russia, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"We appreciate Congressman Sherman's principled and persistent efforts to ensure that the post Georgia-Russia conflict and package addresses the substantial economic harm inflicted upon Armenia - estimated at up to $1 billion - in the form of drastically increased transportation costs, higher food and fuel prices, and a slow-down in overall investments," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "We are, in equal measure, disappointed by Dan Fried's callous and shortsighted rejection, on behalf of the Bush Administration, of this badly-needed assistance package."

Speaking during a September 9th hearing of House Foreign Affairs Committee, the California legislator stressed that, "in addition to the combatants, Armenia has suffered tremendously as a result of this war, and Armenia is totally blameless." He then asked the Administration witness, Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried: "does the Administration plan on providing economic aid to Armenia as part of this package and if so, how much?"

Fried responded by agreeing that, "Armenia has suffered as a result of this [war]," but then rejected providing any help to offset this damage. He explained that, "Our assistance package - our additional assistance package does not include Armenia, but, of course, Armenia is a significant recipient of American assistance. I think it is the second largest or perhaps the largest per capita recipient of American assistance in the world, and we intend to continue strong assistance to Armenia."

Congressman Sherman, pressing further, thanked Fried for his "soccer commentary" and then interrupted him to follow up with even more specific questions, leading to the following exchange:

Assistant Secretary Fried: It's obviously more than that.

Congressman Sherman: By a factor of 10 or factor of 15 or factor of - or just a few percent?

Assistant Secretary Fried: A factor of 10 sounds about right, but I don't want to be too precise. We certainly hope - of course, I have to look at what Armenia has to - what has behind those large estimates of damage. That seems pretty high, but I'd want to take a look at this.


Source: Armenian National Committee of America

http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1584

[Armanen]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

Dear Friends of " Ararat Foundation",

On the occasion of the September 6'th, 2008 visit by Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Armenia, at the invitation by Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan, to watch the September 6 Turkey vs. Armenia soccer match in Yerevan, Armen Ayvazyan, doctor of political science and history and director of " Ararat " Center for Strategic Research in Yerevan and Historian Gevork Khudinyan spoke at Yerkir Media TV program which was aired on September 12, 2008.

In the interview, both historians, expressed their reservations regarding any positive outcome of this visit, stressing about complexity of the matters existing between neighboring countries such as Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide, Turkish collaboration with Azerbaijan in its aggresive relation towards Artsakh ( Nagorno-Karabagh Republic), Turkish and Azerbaijani blockade of Armenia and Artsakh ( Nagorno-Karabagh Republic), Turkish and Azerbaijani keen determination of total annihilation of Armenians and their homeland and culture and beyond everything else the naiveness of the Armenian authorities in not recognizing and not properly addressing the grave danger existing upon the Armenian Nation in any positive and effective way.

Please watch this interview on http://blog.ararat-center.org/ . We are confident that this informative interview and all other subsequent subject matters in this blog will be of great interest to you. The history is the evidence and unfortunately therefore the true intentions of our neighbors speak for themselves. Our neighbors are persistent in what they say and in what they do, they have not changed and wish not to be changed. The destiny and the faith of our beloved nation and people can no longer be guided by wishfull thinking and self deceptive manners which we have been acustomed to. Dishonoring,disrespecting and downplaying our national values to please Turkey will have great negative consequences for well being of our nation and the Armenian authorities must not exercise this failed and capitulative policy any longer.

Please watch the video and make a comment.

Thank You.

"Ararat Foundation"

[Anoush]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

Both Armen Ayvazyan and Gevork Khudinyan are on target. I completely agree with their keen views about Armenia's survival with the mishandling of Armenia's government's immaturity in handling turkey. As in the past, Abdul Hamid the II'nd as well as Talaat Pasha of the Attaturks were very soft and sweet talkers with our Armenian politicians; much more so than even president Abdullah Gul. But look what they did to us and to our nation. They mercilessly annihilated us. Our Armenian Republic is so very young today compare to Turkey. Armenia is only 17 years old compare to Turkey who is today a thousand year old country. Their economy is stable, their country is so much more larger than ours. Turkey is not afraid of us; but we must be as we are very new, not yet stable in our new entity, much weaker economically, strategically and with stability. We have demands from Turkey; the demands of our lands, our Artsaxian lands that turkey already blockaded Armenia to weaken us with their hope of to nothing. Those two political scientists and historians are basically saying that instead of Armenia to make demands for our rights of turkey's recognition of our Artsaxian lands and of our Genocidal recognition, turkey is making the demands to us, to our heads of state; which is unspeakable and unjustifiable. Our historic differences with turkey is totally different phenomenon than any other nation on earth. Thus no other nation will understand the core of our differences or our problems.

Our heads of state are unaware of the complexity of the situation in listening to turkey's sweet talkers and they are letting history to repeat itself. Turkey can trust our words; but we cannot and must not trust turkey. It is a known factor that turkey wishes to annihilate us again and again. turkey does not wish for an Armenia to exist or to thrive. Turkey has and will always see us as her enemy. A nation to be crushed and be done with from the face of the earth.

Our Republic's heads of state should not have eliminated our vital and important symbolisms such as the removal of Ararat mountain's pictures from our soccer player's shirts. These are symbolisms that have an important psychological effects on the people of Armenia and they are the basis and the existence of a nationality. Our heads of state are thus confusing the Armenian people by removing those symbolisms that are important for their beliefs and for their existence.

If turkey closed it's borders for 17 years to weaken and diminish Armenia's economy and existence, it wasn't just azerbaijan; but the will of taking away our Artsaxian lands came from turkey first. Even if turkey opens her borders today; they would for being certain that they will fight against Armenia in a different way. By opening their borders, Armenians already have gone to turkey to work there, now the people will start going to turkey more than ever and by working beneath turkish bosses, Armenians will be under their regime, because after all it is the turkish supreme government who rules over turkish businesses and their subsequent company's presidents.

It is us Armenians and our Republic who must make demands; because we have the question of lands that is in question. The Artsaxian lands that the Armenian heads of state are neglecting to maturely and intelligently give serious thoughts about the matter of having turkey as a friendly neighbour. They should instead consider all the above matters rather than being sweet talked by turkey's words. For words are not what we are looking for, but the deeds. The seriousness of the situation must be very carefully thought about; otherwise turkey can and will take us for a ride and see to it that Armenia for once and for all is diminished to nothing.

I could not agree with them more. I seriously wish that these two historians and political scientists were the heads of state of our republic. They make a lot of sense and with keen logic, thoughts, intelligence, maturity, knowledge of our history and of our ever so long enemey; Turkey.

[meline]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

I fully agree with you Anoush jan. It was also my feeling when I was reading the Ararat Center blog. Armen Ayvazyan and Gevork Khudinyan point out at exactly what we should pay attention to and be aware of.
Another thing that bothers me is the initiative to discuss Artsakh with BOTH Turkey and Azerbaijan. There is already the Minsk Group, so why bring it to the tripartite level? )bearing in mind who 2 of the 3 parties are!!!)

Talking about the Minsk Group

Fassier: any OSCE MG member country can facilitate Karabakh conflict resolution

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey's aspiration to facilitate the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution is welcomed, OSCE Minsk Group French Co-chair Bernard Fassier said a news conference in Yerevan today when responding to a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"As a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, Turkey has the right to make proposals. This country has introduced a number of proposals during the past 3.5 years. Nevertheless, the talks are held by three Co-chairs from Russia, France and the United States," he said, emphasizing that the OSCE format is not subject to transformations.
The OSCE Minsk Group includes France, the United States, Russia, Turkey, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

http://panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27083

[Anoush]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

Meline jan, and I agree with you that the Minsk group is enough to solve the Artsaxian conflict. I too don't see the benefit to our favour in bringing our two major enemies into it and talk with them on one to two. I just wish we had more keener politicians and heads of state.

[Armanen]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

Power distribution is expected afresh in the Caucasus region

The question of “who-whom” has never been so seriously put in the South Caucasus region.
Leaders and regional countries, which are trying to solve their problems at the expense of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, have lately demonstrated great “enthusiasm” in the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict regulation. The USA, France and Russia (co-chair countries) are solving their problems too, just on a global scale. The US Administration is presently in a rush: in a few months President Bush’s office term comes to an end, and after seven years of failure he needs at least a minor diplomatic victory.


/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The regional visits of Mathew Bryza, US representative of the OSCE Minsk Group, prove the above-mentioned statement. In order to influence the conflicting parties, US applies to “the stick and the carrot” policy. However, it is unclear what is being offered to each of the conflicting sides. If in the case of Armenia “the stick” is the assistance offered for the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, it would more easily pass under “the carrot”. Things are quite clear with Azerbaijan – oil, oil and once again oil. As usual, Nagorno-Karabakh, which has been enthusiastically declaring about its right over its own fate, has been overlooked in the «market», which is, by the way, untimely and out of place. After all, this conflict is not between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. And the “peacemakers” should take it into consideration.

As President of the European Union, France is determined to register itself in the body of regulation of the seventeen-year-old conflict. However, everyone is eager to settle the conflict based on the reality that can be traced back 20 years, before the USSR breakdown. The regional map has considerably changed ever since, but the mediators still harp on the same old story.

As usual Russia’s activities directly oppose to the US interests. The question of “who-whom” has never been so seriously shaped in the South Caucasus region. The reckless move of the Georgian President in South Ossetia proved to be gainful to Russia and tripped up the USA and EU. The situation was so beneficial to Baku that it decided not to speed up the proceedings. Strange as it may seem, there came en end even to Ilham Aliyev’s statements about the “the Azeri patience that might give out one day.” Moreover, after his meeting with RF President Dmitry Medvedev Ilham Aliyev declared that in spite of all the difficulties, there exist good prerequisites for the conflict regulation. “In case the conflict is settled in the near future, new perspectives would open for cooperation. We are neighbours and neither of us is determined to leave the region. So, we should search for mechanisms of efficient cooperation,” Aliyev said. Meanwhile some well-informed sources claim that in the conversation of the two presidents Russia expressed the idea of refusing to support Armenia and affirmed its determination to sell weapons to Baku at current prices. It is not difficult to guess what it could mean for Armenia: all the petrodollars will go to Russia’s Treasury. In exchange for it Azerbaijan will offer its oil and gas pipelines for the Russian hydrocarbon.

The idea that “anyway, Armenia will stick to Russia” still dominates in the RF. “Armenia has no other ally in the region. In case we recognize Nagorno-Karabakh we’ll have to break up relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be settled through long-term negotiations in the presence of the Armenian, Azerbaijani, Turkish and Russian sides,” declared Alexander Sotnichenko, senior lecturer at St. Petersburg State University.

With such turn of events the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will never be settled. The more “peacemakers”, the longer the process will last. The OSCE Minsk Group still keeps the conflict regulation from further discussions but its resources are almost exhausted. In all probability this was the reason that Turkey and Iran decided to break into the regulation process and show the world who the real power-holder is.

“The Caucasus region has important points for convergence but developments during the past month caused many problems for the region,” Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki declared in a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart, Edward Nalbandian, in Tehran. Mottaki noted that Iran, as a neighbor to the Caucasus region, made a proposal on consultation among regional countries with the aim of drawing up strategies for cooperation.
The minister added that the current visit by the Armenian foreign minister to Tehran was a good opportunity to complete a phase of negotiations on the Iranian proposal. "Iran and Armenia share common interests and stances on regional developments," Mottaki said. He also expressed Iran's readiness to mediate between neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Karabakh issue.

Thus, Turkey’s position is already known to us. It is determined to join the OSCE Minsk Group. And the reflection of Turkey’s initiative on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh is quite clear too. Apparently, fresh power distribution should be expected in the region.

http://www.panarmenian.net/details/eng/?nid=928

Back Door Talks Between turkey, Armenia Continue



aNKARA--Behind the scenes diplomacy between ankara and Yerevan, which set the stage for President Abdullah Gul's visit to Armenia, continued this week in Switzerland with its third round between the two countries' top diplomats, the turkish Daily News reported on Wednesday.

Diplomats will try to finalize a draft for a mutual declaration of good will in the wake of a tripartite summit between Turkey, Armenia and azerbaijan to take place in New York at the end of September, the report said.

Undersecretary of the turkish foreign ministry, Ertugrul Apakan, and his deputy, Unal Cevikoz, headed for Switzerland Sunday to meet their counterparts in Bern, which already hosted two rounds of talks in May and July, it added.

Diplomats will try to reach a compromise on the language of the declaration, which would best reflect both parties' will.

The declaration is to be announced at the meeting of Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and his Armenian counterpart, Edward Nalbandian, which is expected to the take place during the U.N General Assembly in New York being held Sept.23 to Oct.1.

According to the Turkish Daily News, diplomatic sources have told the newspaper that Armenia “now moves closer to giving a green light for a joint committee of historians to study the events of 1915, a long-standing Turkish proposal categorically rejected by the former Armenian President Robert Kocharian.”

“Official announcement for the establishment of a committee would ease turkey's position, culminating in alleged genocide resolutions in many countries,” a senior turkish official told the TDN, referring to initiatives in countries including the U.S., Canada, France and Argentina.

Last week, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation reiterated its long-standing position that the Armenian Genocide issue was not up for discussion nor should its veracity be challenged by any commission.

The government of Armenia has not responded to these diplomatic claims reported by the turkish Daily News.

http://www.asbarez.com/index.html?showarticle=35212_9/17/2008_1

[Armanen]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

turkey won't be allowed into Karabakh talks

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey is aspired to join the OSCE Minsk Group talks for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and even to head the process in future, a Russian expert said.

"Turkey argues good knowledge of the region and says it can do more than the world powers. However, it's nothing but ambitions," Vladimir Zakharov, head of the center of Caucasus Studies at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Neither the U.S. nor Russia or France will leave hold of the Minsk Group, according to him.

"Caucasus can't exist without Russia. The international community has finally come to understand it. Turkey is an interested party, so it can't co-chair the Minsk Group," Zakharov said.

http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27075

[Armanen]

Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations

ankara can influence baku to promote Karabakh process


/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE Minsk Group is an efficient format for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, the Armenian Foreign Minister said.

“The talks are continued on the basis of the OSCE MG Co-chairs’ proposals and I think there are good prerequisites for resolution of the conflict, what can create new opportunities for regional cooperation,” Edward Nalbandian said, the RA MFA press office reported.

Commenting on Azeri media reports, according to which OSCE MG U.S Co-chair Matt Bryza said that Turkey can help Armenia to assume a more flexible stand on Karabakh, Minister Nalbandian said, “Mr Bryza has erroneously said Armenia instead of Azerbaijan, since Turkey can only influence on Baku to take a more flexible stand.”

“Both Turkish and Azeri leaders speak of ‘one nation and two states’. So, the talk about Ankara’s possible influence on Yerevan is an exaggeration,” the Minister said.

http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27106

Derenik Melikyan: Iran shares Armenian stance of Karabakh and Genocide

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There are two Hay Dat offices in Iran. One is in Tehran and the other is in Nor-Jugha, Derenik Melikyan, editor of Aliq Tehran-based Armenian-language newspaper, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

“We organize April evenings, seminars on genocide studies, including the Armenian Genocide. Books dedicated to Armenian-Iranian, Turkish-Iranian and Armenian-Turkish relations are published,” he said.

“Iran has tensed relations with Turkey and, moreover, with Azerbaijan. Tehran doesn’t welcome Baku’s yearning for the Turkic world. Panturanism is inadmissible for Iran. Maybe this is the reason why it shares the Armenian stance of Karabakh and Genocide. Moreover, thanks to the NKR security belt, the Armenian-Iranian border became longer,” Melikyan said.

http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27105