TURKISH DIPLOMAT ADVISES ARMENIA TO APPLY FOR NATO MEMBERSHIP
ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 3 2007
The Turkish diplomat sharply reacted to the speech of the
representative of the NATO Information Center in Armenia at the
international conference held in Moldova, Mediamax reports.
October 2nd in Kishinev Deputy Director of the NATO Information
Center in Armenia David Alaverdyan participated in the international
conference titled "NATO’s Values and an Alliance of Solidarity,"
presenting a report on "Armenia’s relations with NATO: Reality and
Perspectives."
Reference to the absence of Armenian-Turkish relations in the report
met the sharp resistance of Turkey’s Vice-Ambassador to Moldova Hakan
Ozdemir, who declared that it’s not a proper place for discussion of
such issues and left the conference.
However, in his report David Alaverdyan simply stated that the absence
of diplomatic relations between Ankara and Yerevan hinders the full
development of Armenia’s relations with NATO.
"During the recent years the Armenian authorities have been repeatedly
telling the representatives of the Alliance that the Armenian-Turkish
relations are one of the main obstacles for the further deepening of
Armenia-NATO relations," David Alaverdyan said.
He noted that "more than 15 years have passed after the collapse
of eth Soviet Union, but the Armenian-Turkish border remains an
"iron curtain."
In response to that Hakan Ozdemir declared that "Armenian-Turkish
relations are not discussed here, and if Armenia wishes to develop
relations with NATO, let it apply for membership, meet all the
commitments and join the Alliance." After a while the Vice-Ambassador
of Turkey left the conference, not waiting for the start of the
discussions envisaged by the agenda.