1388) Why Can't Turkey & Armenia Have 'Relationships' ?

One of the most often asked questions is "Why Can't Turkey & Armenia Have "Normalized" Relations? or "Why Can't Turkey & Armenia Have Official Diplomatic Relations?" since Armenia offers talks without "preconditions". .

Although everyone might have different answers to this question(s) I believe the real answer lies in the two important documents ( declarations) of Armenia; Declaration Of Independence (of Republic of Armenia) and Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.

The Declaration Of Independence was compiled by The Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic signed by Levon Ter-Petrossian,
President of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia and Ara Sahakian, Secretary of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia in Yerevan on August 23, 1990. http://www.armeniaforeignministry.com/htms/doi.html

The problem that bothers Turkey and prevents relationship be established arises from the 11th clause of the Declaration Of Independence.

The Declaration Of Independence's 11th clause indicates that
Quote:

---

The Republic of Armenia stands in support of the task of achieving international recognition of the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia.

---

Although it is annoying and bothersome, Turkey does not really care / interested in the first part of the clause which is The Republic of Armenia stands in support of the task of achieving international recognition of the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey due to the fact that the claim "the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey" cannot be proven legally, historically and scientifically.

What really bothers Turkey is the second part of the clause" and Western Armenia."

Since there is no official treaty/agreement that determines the current border between Turkey and Armenia and Armenia does not officially recognize Treaty of Kars 1921 that determined the borders between USSR, therefore, the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and Turkey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Kars the phrase " and Western Armenia" in the 11th clause makes Turkey uncomfortable.

Turkey understands the phrase "Western Armenia" as Eastern Turkey of which borders are drawn by Treaty of Kars 1921 and Turkey has asked Armenia the phrase be reviewed if Armenia wants to normalize the "relationships".

The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia adopted 5th of July, 1995 also refers to The Declaration Of Independence as shown below.

http://www.armeniaforeignministry.com/arm/constitution/main.html#Chapter1

Quote:

---

The Armenian People, Recognizing as a basis the fundamental principles of Armenian statehood and the national aspirations engraved in the Declaration of Independence of Armenia, Having fulfilled the sacred message of its freedom loving ancestors for the restoration of the sovereign state, Committed to the strengthening and prosperity of the fatherland.

In order to ensure the freedom, general will being and civic harmony of future generations, Declaring their faithfulness to universal values, Hereby adopts the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.

---

The Constitution's reference to the Declaration of Independence and "the national aspirations" made Turkey understand that Armenia has really no intentions of having "relationship" between her and Turkey.

As long as Armenia keeps the 11th clause as it is now and refers to it in her constitution without any amendment that officially accepts the current borders between her and Turkey, I am afraid there will be no relationships established between Turkey and Armenia.

ReaderCan / TVO