ARPI VARDANYAN: TURKEY WILL DO ITS BEST TO PERSUADE OBAMA NOT TO USE WORD ‘GENOCIDE’ IN HIS APRIL 24 SPEECH
ArmInfo
2009-04-03 14:30:00
ArmInfo. The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) is for opening of the
Armenian- Turkish borders and establishment of diplomatic relations
with Turkey without preconditions, Arpi Vardanyan, AAA Country Director
for Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh said at a press conference Friday.
She said the opening of the border and establishment of diplomatic
relations should not depend on the Genocide issue. A. Vardanyan said
that April 16, the date of possible opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border reported by some media, is too early. ‘I think the border
may be opened within the current year but April 16 is too an early
date. It is necessary to wait for the results of Obama’s upcoming
visit to Turkey, the developments on April 24 and others factors. All
this will be essential for the given issue’, Arpi Vardanyan said.
As regards the opinion that Turkey may make a deal with the USA by
offering the opening of the border and establishment of diplomatic
relations with Armenia in exchange for non-recognition of Armenian
Genocide, A. Vardanyan said Turks will do their best to persuade Obama
not to use the word ‘genocide’ in his April 24 speech to hinder the
adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res. 252. ‘I am sure
that Obama will not create obstacles to the work of the US Congress
on this issue and, as a man of his word, he will define the massacre
of Armenians in 1915 as Genocide in his annual speech on April 24’,
AAA Country Director said.