ISTANBUL - The Armenian president said he agreed with Turkey's leader that the two countries needed to solve the problems between the two countries so as not to leave them for future generations.
Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said "the time has come" to solve the Armenian-Turkish problems, also implying, however, the existence of the Armenian genocide. He expressed his faith that problems between neighbors can be solved using dialogue, saying that he had noticed the opportunity for diplomacy during the Turkey-Armenia football game that took place earlier this month and had subsequently invited President Abdullah Gül to Yerevan to watch the game together.
Expressing his satisfaction that Gül had accepted the invitation, Sarkisian added, "We both agree that today's problems should not be left for future generations. It is time to solve the problems between the two countries once and for all," reported private NTV news channel.
The official external radio and television broadcasting service of the U.S. federal government, Voice of America, reported that Sarkisian had praised the outcome of a recent meeting with his Turkish counterpart, saying Gül shared his determination to move quickly and resolutely in the direction of reconciliation.
Sarkisian also reminded the audience that it was the 60th anniversary of the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, saying, "This type of anniversary is even more meaningful for those of us nations who have suffered from genocide." He added that genocide was a crime perpetrated against humanity.
Azerbaijan's belligerent stance
Turning to another regional conflict, Sarisian criticized what he called Azerbaijan's "belligerent" stance on the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Nevertheless, he vowed to continue negotiations with Azerbaijan to seek recognition of the largely Armenian-inhabited region, which he characterized as effectively independent.
The Armenian president also denounced the recent bloodshed in the South Caucasus, which he said threatened the entire region and beyond. He said the General Assembly must work to modernize its institutions and prevent a return to Cold War-era divisions.
Ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh area declared independence from Azerbaijan in 1988, triggering a six-year conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. A cease-fire was declared in 1994, but sporadic exchanges of gunfire continue. The conflict has claimed 35,000 lives.
Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, recently met with his Russian counterpart, Dmitri Medvedev, and called on Russia to continue what he called its "active role" in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Gül hopeful too
Meanwhile, Gül spoke of his efforts to create a positive atmosphere between Turkey and Armenia, saying, "I am quite confident in this endeavor."
NTV reported that Gül, speaking at an American Turkish Society-organized event in New York, said: "My whole intention is to create a positive atmosphere in the Caucasus, in the region, and between Turkey and Armenia. This atmosphere should solve all the problems and allow for everything to turn to normal."