YEREVAN. – Armenia’s National Assembly Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov reacted to Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu’s statement, and he released his own statement.

“Yesterday [Wednesday] Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made yet another ‘defining’ statement, and said: ‘When Armenia withdraws from the occupied territories, it will be possible to establish ties with it, too.’ 

Turkey persistently continues to disregard the international obligations it has assumed and to distort reality. This comes to prove yet again that today the concepts of Turkey and European integration cannot be synonyms.      

Yes, there are occupied territories, and the Turks and Azerbaijanis themselves must withdraw from those occupied territories. By refreshing the Turkish FM’s memory, I should inform that his country has occupied the northern sector of the Rep. of Cyprus, which is assuming EU Chairmanship. Whereas Azerbaijan [is occupying] Shahumyan, Getashen, Martunashen, which are the territory of the Artsakh [that is, Nagorno-Karabakh] Republic.    

I consider unacceptable Turkey’s work method of speaking with ultimatums, and reaffirm that we are determined to reach our national objectives,” Eduard Sharmazanov’s statement reads in particular.