Armenian NGOs Take Initiative In Armenian-Turkish Relations

ARMENIAN NGOS TAKE INITIATIVE IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

news.am
April 29 2010
Armenia

Four Armenian NGOs signed a memorandum on joint initiatives in the
context of Armenian-Turkish relations.

The Eurasia Cooperation Foundation, Yerevan Press Club, Union
of Manufacturers and Business of Armenia and the International
Center for Human Development put their signatures to the memorandum,
stating their intention to coordinate their projects in the context of
Armenian-Turkish relations, hold unanimous positions on the relevant
issues and combine efforts for Armenian-Turkish reconciliation.

Chairman of the Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan stated that,
although the first stage of the process is considered to be over,
it is expected to continue, as the states must be in normal relations.

"We are now analyzing the difficulties that prevented us from achieving
the desired results. One of our aims is to analyze the past year and
a half and put forward specific proposals," Navasardyan said.

The leaders of the signatory organizations emphasized that it is
a civil initiative. Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan, Director of the Eurasia
Foundation, reported that the organizations will elaborate a joint
program to encourage cooperation between the two states’ business
communities, mass media, NGOs and education and cultural centers. They
hope the communication between the two states’ NGOs will finally
result in normalization of bilateral relations.

As to whether the Turkish side will take a similar initiative, Tevan
Poghosyan, Director of the International Center for Human Development,
pointed out that the Armenian side’s initiative will encourage the
Turkish side to take a similar step.