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Turkish diplomat: â€œWe have three main demands from Armeniaâ€

20 June 2008 10:35 (UTC +04:00)

Although Kars treatment signed in 1920 is in force today. Kars treatment defined the border lines and Armenians should recognize itâ€, Omar Lutem, retired ambassador and chief of the Armenian studies office of the Eurasian Strategic Research Center told APA Turkish bureau. Touching upon the US Assistant Secretary Daniel Friedâ€™s call on Armenia to recognize Turkeyâ€™s borders, the former diplomat said it was very important step. â€œArmenia pays no heed to the Turkeyâ€™s demand for a long time. Now US high-ranking officials raise this issue. I believe Armenia will be forced to listen to itâ€. Responding the question about the US and Europeâ€™s regular calls on Turkey to open the borders with Armenia and their current call on Armenia to make step, Lutem said: â€œUS makes efforts to solve the Armenian-Turkish issue for a long time and to achieve long-term peace in the Caucasus. It is not a new policy. Daniel Friedâ€™s address shows that Americans will take more interest in this issue in future. It shows that the West will increase pressure on Armenia in the near future. Turkish diplomacy put the issue of recognition of the Turkeyâ€™s territorial integrity on agenda during all discussions related to Armenia and runs Armenia into difficulties. They know well our efforts made over the past 17 years. Fried made very important statement at the Congressâ€. The former ambassador said Turkey had 3 main problems with Armenia: â€œRecognition of Turkeyâ€™s territorial integrity, giving up the false â€œgenocideâ€ claims and solution of Karabakh problem. We mean the liberation of 7 regions nearby Nagorno Karabakh and the solution of Nagorno Karabakh problem within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We will never change our demandsâ€.