287) A STEP FOR THE FUTURE / Turkish deputy discusses student exchange in Armenia

 

A1plus News from Armenia-A STEP FOR THE FUTURE

 

Today RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan received the delegation of Turhan Chomez, deputy of the Turkish Parliament. The delegation comprised of journalists and social bodies. {BR}

 

During the meeting issues about the present state of the Armenian-Turkish relations and the perspectives of development were discussed. The sides confirmed their readiness to contribute to the development of relations by means of open discussions. The RA NA President mentioned that Armenia wants to have normal relations with all its neighbors and thinks that the problems in the Armenian-Turkish relations must be solved by means of joint discussions, “We must solve the present problems, not fight against them�, said the NA President.

 

The President of the Parliament called everybody to build the relations looking forward - having the courage to admit the fact of the Genocide and to go forward taking as basis the way of joint Euro integration. He mentioned that Armenia expects the establishment of diplomatic relations as basis to solve further problems.

 

It was also mentioned that Armenia does not mind having a neighbor member of the EU, if the dual standards are excluded. The fact of the Genocide is not under question for us, and we think that we must go forward without forgetting the past. The NA President also mentioned that in the Armenian Constitution there is no demand of land from Turkey.

 

Deputy of the Turkish Parliament Turhan Chomez qualified his visit to the RA NA as the first of the steps to be taken in future. Mr. Chomez mentioned that what is done cannot be undone or denied and we must go forward looking into the eyes of the reality.

 

Nevertheless, he considered the issue of the recognition of the Genocide the problem of the historians. “We are two countries living in the same geographic area and we must come to an agreement�, said Mr. Chomez. He passed the greetings and the best regards of the Turkish Parliament president Bulent Arinch to the NA president and expressed his readiness to spread the ideas discussed during the meeting in the Turkish society and the authorities.

 

At the end of the meeting the sides also discussed the possibility of organizing a meeting of the Armenian and Turkish young people in Yerevan and Ankara in order to discuss the present problems in the Armenian-Turkish relations.

 

http://www.a1plus.am/eng/?go=print&id=29387

 

| 20:21:08 | 10-06-2005 | Politics |

 

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Turkish deputy discusses student exchange in Armenia
Monday, June 13, 2005

 

ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

 

 

  Turhan Çömez, a deputy from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), met yesterday with the French Ambassador in Yerevan during a key visit to Armenia and discussed the idea of a student exchange between Turkey and Armenia, said news reports.

 

  Çömez, the first Turkish deputy to visit Armenia, has already addressed a conference at Yerevan University on Turkish-Armenian relations during the time of World War I, when, Armenians claim, Armenians in eastern Anatolia were subjected to a genocide campaign at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire.

 

  He has also attended a dinner hosted by Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian and discussed with participating deputies the allegations of genocide. Baghdasarian, however, was not present at the dinner.

 

  Turkey severed its diplomatic relations with Armenia and closed its border gate with this country in the last decade and presses Yerevan to end supporting Armenian diaspora claims that Armenians were victims of genocide in the Ottoman Empire, an allegation Ankara denounces.

 

  Çömez's visit comes after Turkey proposed establishment of a joint committee of scholars to study the events of 1915-1918. Armenia responded by proposing an inter-governmental committee instead to look into ways to improve bilateral relations.

 

  French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny said after meeting Çömez that some 20-25 Turkish students who can speak French might study at the French University in Yerevan and Armenian students studying in the French University could go to a Turkish university as part of a student exchange program.

 

  In Yerevan, Çömez also met with Ghiro Manoyan of the nationalist Dashnaksutiun Party. He said the meeting was unofficial and emphasized the importance of listening to each other's views.

 

  Manoyan said it was the first time he had met with a Turkish politician and added that he was hopeful that the two nations could live in peace.