Karolos Papoulias: Turkey "Difficult Neighbor" for Armenia and Greece

PanARMENIAN.Net - Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Wednesday referred to Turkey as a "difficult neighbor" following talks with his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian. Armenia "has, as do we, a difficult neighbor, Turkey," Papoulias said, and "is probably the country that best understands the problems facing Greek-Turkish relations." "Greece supports Armenia's aim of closer cooperation with the European Union and is among the country's six top investors," Papoulias said, adding that "a large number of Armenian army officers are currently attending Greek military academy courses." Greece and Turkey have improved relations in recent years. But they continue to be divided over a number of issues, including Greece's support for Armenia's position that Turkey is guilty of Armenian Genocide. It should be noted that the Greek Parliament in 1996 named April 24 as an "official commemoration day of the Armenian genocide," reported RFE/RL.