In Munich Erdoghan demanded that Turkey is integrated into the EU

PanARMENIAN.Net - The conference was opened by the Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Erdoghan, who said in his speech that his country is actively involved in many processes and events in different parts of the world. In this regard he also mentioned that Turkey has always been and will remain a reliable for NATO, and the main message to the participants of the conference was the demand to integrate Turkey in the European Union.

According to Erdoghan, Turkey vigorously rejects the compromise in the form of the status of a privileged partner, suggested particularly by Germany. But the most interesting things happened during the debate. An example was brought by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Vartan Oskanyan. "You confirmed the decision of your country to become the full member of the EU. Armenia is also for Turkey's integration into the EU, this is the neighbor we need. But you know that at present the border between the two countries are closed from Turkey's side," said the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs in answer to Erdoghan's speech. Vartan Oskanyan mentioned that the Turkish side has two main reasons for closing the borders. "The first reason is RA's participation in Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, and the second reason is Armenia's foreign policy, directed towards the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. I must say that the parties of the Karabakh conflict are the Armenians and the Azeri, and the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is the historical and moral imperative of the Armenian Nation. Mr. Prime Minister, now our countries are not at a war with each other and are your arguments enough to preserve the blockade of the Armenian-Turkish border in this situation?" asked Oskanyan to Recep Erdoghan.

However, the Turkish Prime Minister left Oskanyan's questions unanswered and once again repeated the sentence about establishing the Armenian-Turkish historical commission, declaring that the slaughter of 1915 has not historically been proven and that it is the issue to be discussed by the historians. The notion of Genocide doesn't exist in Turkish culture," said Erdoghan.

Erdoghan also touched upon the Kurdish problem. According to him, the Turkish Army has concentrated around 100.000 soldiers on the border with Iraq, but hasn't started any serious operations against them yet, only confining to short term raids, and bombardment of the positions of Kurdish terrorists.

"Turkey's struggle against the Kurdish separatists will continue till the final victory is obtained. It is the part of the fight of the World Community against terrorism. It should be clear to everyone that we are going to fight till the last minute," said the Turkish Prime Minister. Recep Erdoghan also publicly denied the Kremlin's affirmation, which said that Chechen terrorists have found shelter in Turkey. "There are people of Chechen origins in Turkey, but let's not call them terrorists," he said.