Armenian foreign minister calls on Turkey to open borders

[The System]

Jun 15, 2005, 16:45 GMT

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/m...o_open_borders

Text of report by Armenian news agency Arminfo

Yerevan. 15 June: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan once again called on the Turkish authorities to lift the blockade of Armenia at a news conference at the national press club in Washington a few days ago.

Oskanyan pointed out that the opening of the borders would positively impact on the situation in the region as a whole and help promote the USA's interests in the region, the Armenian Assembly of America has told Arminfo.

The Armenian foreign minister repeated the position of the official Yerevan and its readiness to normalize relations with Ankara without preconditions. Oskanyan said that the legislature, which is dealing with the issue of the Armenian genocide in [Ottoman] Turkey, should not be involved in the process of normalization of bilateral relations and opening of borders. The Armenian foreign minister called on the White House to influence Turkey effectively in this issue.

US President George Bush called on Turkey earlier to restore economic, political and cultural ties with Armenia, the source reported.

Source: Arminfo, Yerevan, in Russian 1330 gmt 15 Jun 05

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