Turkish lawmakers strongly condemn Armenian president’s statement

Members of the Turkish parliament strongly condemned the Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan’s latest statement. Former vice speaker of the parliament, MP from AKP Nevzat Pakdil (Kahramanmaras) told APA’s Turkey bureau that by making this statement Armenian president instigates to hostility: “If I put it mildly, “this is very unlucky statement”. People have to live in peace, but such statements instigate to hate and hostility. This is provocation that they occupied the lands of Azerbaijan and express this occupation like “we fulfilled our duty and now the young generations have to get back “Western Armenia”. This is not a manner of head of state. Our Prime Minister said that Sargsyan has to offer an apology. Azerbaijani President’s statement was also to the point. They occupied the Azerbaijani lands and now provoke the young people against the historic state borders. It is unbecoming to a statesman. I believe he will apologize and correct the situation”.

Answering the APA’s question “how the Armenia’s policy against the Turkey’s friendly steps will impact on the regional processes?”, Nevzat Pakdil said: “Turkey is always trying to be friendly country. Most important issue is to liberate Azerbaijani lands from the occupation. We will defend Azerbaijan’s rightful cause in any case. It needs to estimate the results of political statement while making it. I demand immediate apology for this statement full with false and distortions”.

Parliamentarian from CHP Adana Faruk Logoglu said that Armenian President’s statement is wrong and does not reflect the reality. “Azerbaijani President’s answer is the proper assessment of Sargsyan’s statement. This statement is also wrong, as it addresses the youth. The youth must be led to peace, property, stability. Sargsyan’s statement shows the youth the way of instability, non-peace, non-prosperity,” he said.

To APA’s question “Azerbaijan remains committed to the peace process. How will such statements influence the peace process?”, former Turkish ambassador to Baku Faruk Logoglu said: “It is impossible not to take this statement seriously. One must not close the peace channels and ways, because of such statements. It would be wrong to suspend the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan just because of Sargsyan’s statement.”

Deputy chairman of MHP, parliamentarian from Ankara Tugrul Turkesh regarded Sargsyan’s statement as unbecoming to a statesman. “You are president of Armenia and say such words. It is unbecoming to a statesman. Secondly, such words justify the aggression. This statement admits the aggression. No one has the right for aggression – but Armenian President admits that he has created a de facto situation. On the other hand, no territory has been got back. Both the UN and OSCE are making efforts to put an end to the occupation. The persons displaced from Karabakh must return. Therefore, Armenia is obliged to get on with both Azerbaijan and Turkey. They must issue statement thinking about it,” he said.

To APA’s question “What expects Zurich protocols after such negative statements of the Armenian side?” Tugrul Turkesh said: “Anyway there was nothing in those protocols to confirm. The government agreed to sign the protocols for the reasons unknown for us. But later the government could not see the bottom of the well and did not bring the protocols to the parliament’s session. Sargsyan’s statements show how much our protests and warnings were right,” he said.


/APA/