Serzh Sargsyan: If the border does not open, I will not visit Turkey

"President Gul invited me to attend the return match between Turkish and Armenian national teams and I accepted the invitation.

Of course, if the border is open or at the point of opening, I will visit Turkey to attend the return match", Armenian President Serj Sargsyan told Russia Today TV channel, APA reports. He said before the Turkish President Gul’s visit to Armenia, Ankara made two conditions (regarding "genocide" and Nagorny Karabakh), but after the negotiation process the parts agreed to establish contacts without conditions.

Sargsyan told Wall Street Journal that he was not supposed to travel to Turkey as a simple tourist or as a football fan. He said Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s statement that there won’t be a final deal on border opening, until there is a resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, was not in the framework of their agreements. Sargsyan said their position was that the "genocide" was not an obstacle to restoration of relations with Turkey. He spoke about the Azerbaijan’s reaction to the Turkey-Armenian talks. "When we were starting this negotiating process, I am confident that in Turkey they also calculated the possible reaction of Azerbaijan. I do not believe that anyone in Turkey expected anyone in Azerbaijan to applaud this process or to be excited about it. By opening Armenia’s border or normalizing relations with Turkey, Armenia’s approach to Nagorno Karabakh will not undergo any changes or amendments".

/APA/