S. Kiniklioglu: Armenia-Turkey Dialogue Shouldn't Start with Discussion of 1915 Issue

PanARMENIAN.Net - "I am an adherent to the activation of the Armenia-Turkey relations," Director of German Marshall Fund's Ankara office Suat Kiniklioglu stated during an international conference in Yerevan the other day. He noted he leaves Armenia with optimistic and pessimistic mood at the same time. In his words, he is optimistic because he saw interesting and sincere people in Yerevan, who are open for a dialogue. "But I am pessimistic because I know how important for you is the year of 1915 but I think our political dialogue should start not with the 1915 issue but with more practical matters, he noted. When touching upon the prospects of the Armenian-Turkish relations he expressed regret over the fact that before the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict these relations will be developing slowly. "I hope we will find a way to open the borders even with incomplete resolution of the problem if Armenia withdraws troops from 2 or 3 Azerbaijani regions," S. Kiniklioglu noted. According to him, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline construction is being carried out roundabout Armenia. He stated that for the sake of the prosperity of the region and prospects of European integration he is against the building of communication lines leaving Armenia aside adding that Turks have been for a long time waiting for the Karabakh conflict settlement and have no wish to wait any longer, since Azerbaijan itself should be interested in the resolution of the problem.