Armenia had to give a harsh response to Turkish Prime Minister’s statement on possible deportation of 100 thousand illegal Armenian workers from the country, according to Karen Bekaryan, chairman of European Integration NGO.

“The Armenian authorities should have initiated the process of withdrawal of signature from the protocols on normalization of relations with Turkey,” Mr. Bekaryan told reporters on Friday. “In addition, the Foreign Ministry should have called on Armenian citizens to refrain from visiting Turkey.

“I view the Turkish Prime Minister’s statement as racist,” he said.

As to the Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, Mr. Bekaryan said much depends on the forthcoming Sargsyan-Obama-Erdogan meeting in Washington. “There is a slim chance that the protocols will be ratified,” he said.

Asked to comment on the Karabakh process, Mr. Bekaryan said, “The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs come to understand that resolution of the conflict is impossible without re-engagement of NKR in the negotiation process.” Assessing the possibility of resumption of hostilities as low, he said that “war is unlikely but we should be prepared for it.”