Armenia doesn’t plan any unilateral concessions in relations with Turkey – Vice Speaker

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is in favor of relations without preconditions with all neighbors, Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov told a press conference.

“Armenia is a supporter and advocate of regional peace and stability. It has always taken steps to achieve this balance. In the Armenian-Turkish relations we will not do any step which will contradict the document which we have signed, and the protocols were without preconditions, and didn’t contain any unilateral concession. We are not going to take any unilateral concession”, he said.

According to Sharmazanov, Armenia is realistic, it very well understands the opportunities of each state, but this doesn’t give the right to any state to speak to Armenia in a language of preconditions. Once again Turkey’s destructive crime was confirmed during the April War, when Turkey’s leaders made 5 statements in 4 days supporting Azerbaijan.

“We were not against these protocols, today we too believe that what Serzh Sargsyan initiated in 2008-2009 was the right way. It’s not like we are refusing our policy, no, the problem isn’t in us. Yes, we find that establishing relations with Turkey without preconditions was necessary both for Armenia, Turkey and regional peace. The signed protocols were very important and it was no coincidence that representatives of superpowers were welcoming it. We didn’t close the border, it is Turkey that closed and it is Turkey that is putting preconditions. Instead of ratifying the protocols, Turkey’s officials are putting preconditions, and connecting the issue with the Artsakh issue. And we said that Turkey doesn’t have anything to do in the Artsakh conflict settlement issue, there is a relevant specialized structure – the OSCE Minsk Group – which is vested with an international mandate in dealing with this issue. It is clear for everyone that Armenia is an advocate of peace in the region”, he said.