In the interview with Turkish ATV, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan answered the journalists’ questions, saying Turkey closed border with Armenia in 1993 after the “occupation” of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia and will open it, if the territory is “liberated”.

Asked by a Sabah newspaper journalist of his stance on Armenian Genocide, Erdogan said: “Within last year Obama got to know us better. Our position on Armenia-Turkey relations is well-known. We participated in global nuclear security summit and discussed the issues inter alia with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. This issue cannot be settled separately, and an accord was reached at the joint meetings with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey. We have to overcome conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We will not recede from Armenia-Turkey Protocols, we strive for peace in the region. The reason for the border closure in 1993 was the occupation of Azerbaijani lands. Unless that 'occupation” ends, we will not open the border and will not recognize genocide," Erdogan declared.

L.A.