“This year we have seen a great difference between words and deeds,” the former Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian stated at a roundtable in the Civilitas Foundation.

He admitted that the reality was “a bit colored” when he as Armenian minister of foreign affairs. However, he said, it as done “against a positive background,” which is lacking now. “This difference between words and the real state of affairs weakens Armenia’s international positions. The Armenian side states it will never make any concessions, whereas immediately afterwards the opponents insist on concessions for the border to be reopened,” Oskanian said. According to him, Turkey’s principle is “what is mine is mine, what is yours – let us discuss.” He said that Turkey has “taken the trouble” to deny the Armenian Genocide, by laying the burden on the Armenian-Turkish commission to be set up under the protocols.

T.P.