Armenian deputy FM: Relations with official circles of Turkey ‘at zero level’ at this point
Armenia stands ready to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions, Deputy Foreign Minister Avet Adonts reiterated on Saturday,
“Our position remains unchanged: we are ready to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions. Today, preconditions are put forward only by Turkey,” he told reporters at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan, adding that there is no dialogue between Armenia and Turkey at this point.
The official visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to pay tribute to the Armenian Genocide victims on the 106th anniversary of the tragedy.
“Our only message is the following: we are naturally ready to establish relations [with Turkey], but for us any precondition is unacceptable,” Adonts said.
According to him, no format other than the OSCE Minsk Group is currently being discussed for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “The Minsk Group is working and I believe that the results will soon become visible,” he added.
Asked whether Turkey's precondition concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains in place after the recent Artsakh war, Avet Adonts said: “I have already noted that there is no dialogue. At this point, relations with the official circles of Turkey are at a zero level. I have not heard of any preconditions related to the war, but the Karabakh settlement remains a precondition put forward by Turkey.”
Adonts also noted that US President Joe Biden's possible use of the term "genocide" in his April 24 address would mark a very important step.
According to the deputy FM, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United States could also serve as an example for the other countries of the civilized world which have not yet expressed their position.
“It will be a very important step if Biden uses that word. I believe in this way the United States will reaffirm its approaches not towards the settlement of our regional issues, but towards fundamental values and human freedoms,” he said.