ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY RESPONDS TO TURKEY’S PROTEST NOTE

Cihan News Agency (CNA), Turkey
August 2, 2013 Friday

ERIVAN (CIHAN)- Armenian Foreign Ministry responded on Friday to
Turkey’s protest note, Armenia Today writes with reference to the
press service of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.

“With regards to the reaction of the Turkish Foreign Ministry in
connection with the incident on the Armenian-Turkish border, resulting
in death of a Turkish shepherd, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Armenia has sent a note to the Turkish side, expressing regret over
the incident and hope that similar cases will not be repeated in the
future,” the statement said.

Earlier, Turkey handed over a protest note to Armenia in connection
with the incident on the Armenian-Turkish border, resulting in death
of a Turkish citizen.

The note was delivered through the Turkish Embassy in Georgia.

.

Turkish shepherd Mustafa Ulker died after being wounded by the
servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces on July 31.

The shepherd, residing in the Turkish province of Kars, accidentally
crossed the border with Armenia while looking for a missing animal
and was fired at by Armenian servicemen. He was later detained.

The head of Akkaya district administration of Kars province Osman
Ugurlu reported that as a result of negotiations between the Commander
of the Turkish border battalion with the Armenian side, Ulker’s body
was transferred to Turkey.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations and the border between
the countries has been closed since 1993. This was caused by Armenian
claims for international recognition of the so-called “genocide”
and occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

The Turkish government has repeatedly stated that relations between
Ankara and Yerevan will be restored after Armenia withdraws from the
occupied Azerbaijani territories.

On October 10, 2009, Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Turkey Edward
Nalbandian and Ahmet Davutoglu signed protocols on normalization of
bilateral relations in Zurich. these protocols need to be ratified
by the parliaments of both countries in order to enter into force.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since
1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding
districts. (Cihan/Trend az) CIHAN

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress