Mustafa Aydin: 1915 events shouldn't hamper Armenia-Turkey public dialog
The problems Turkey experienced with Greece over Cyprus were much more serious than those with Armenia, head of the department of international relations at University of Economic and Technology, prof. Mustafa Aydin told Caucasus 2007 international conference in Yerevan.
Relations between Turkey and Greece have improved thanks to the publics of both states, according to him. "I witness how the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus are establishing a dialog and I am hopeful that a united Greek-Turkish Cyprus will appear one day," prof. Aydin said, adding that the number of Armenians willing normalization of relations with Turkey has increased recently.
"Of course, problems still exist. One of them is Armenia's recognition of present-day Turkey's borders, according to the Treaty of Kars. The second is the tragedy of 1915 which is viewed by many Turks as history having nothing in common with the modern Turkish State. The 1915 events shouldn't hamper the Armenia-Turkey public dialog," Aydin concluded.
Relations between Turkey and Greece have improved thanks to the publics of both states, according to him. "I witness how the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus are establishing a dialog and I am hopeful that a united Greek-Turkish Cyprus will appear one day," prof. Aydin said, adding that the number of Armenians willing normalization of relations with Turkey has increased recently.
"Of course, problems still exist. One of them is Armenia's recognition of present-day Turkey's borders, according to the Treaty of Kars. The second is the tragedy of 1915 which is viewed by many Turks as history having nothing in common with the modern Turkish State. The 1915 events shouldn't hamper the Armenia-Turkey public dialog," Aydin concluded.
