On December 19 Mr. Tigran Torosyan, RA NA President, received the Special Representative of the European Union for the South Caucasus Ambassador Mr. Peter Semneby, who arrived in Armenia to participate at the parliamentary hearings on the Armenian-Turkish relations.

Expressing his gratitude to Mr. Semneby for coming to Armenia to participate at the parliamentary hearings Mr. Tigran Torosyan characterized that fact as an evidence of attention of the European Union to the regional problems. The NA President highly assessed the role of the European Union in the region, noting that the values and principles, within the framework of which the EU functions, are the values and principles of the region and of Armenia in particular. Referring to the events preceding the presidential elections, Mr. Torosyan noted the reforms of the Electoral Code and judicial legal system, which aim to create the legislative bases of holding the presidential elections complying with democratic standards.

The Special Representative of the European Union for the South Caucasus Ambassador Mr. Peter Semneby also confirmed the interest of the European Union in the regional problems and the improvement of the Armenian-Turkish relations. As he assessed, the European Union wants to see more predictable relations and finds that the European integration will give greater opportunities for that. The European Union is interested in the relationship between Armenia and Turkey.

In connection with this the NA President stressed the discussion on the plane of European values and Euro-integration in the European structures, because with clear principles any party cannot accuse the European structures being biased. As Mr. Torosyan assessed, those principles should be clearly formulated, and the two sides should adopt them, within the framework of which the relations take place, and those relations should be not only at the level of the announcements. The path passed by the European Union testifies that the basis of overcoming the disagreements is: the tolerance and the dialogue. Armenia’s position absolutely corresponds to those principles Armenia acknowledges that there are problems, which should be put aside for a while and cooperate in other problems, promoting the solution of those problems with the creation of the atmosphere of confidence and mutual understanding. And Turkey proposes conditions on Nagorno Karabakh problem, on recognition of Genocide, on Diaspora, considering the cooperation possible only the after fulfillment of those conditions. Naturally, those conditions are unacceptable for Armenia; first Turkey in connection with the third state, Azerbaijan, brings the problems to the plane of the Armenian-Turkish relations, then it cannot overcome its own psychological complexes regarding the recognition of Genocide and continues the blockade of Armenia, steps, which are not included in the European system of values.

In response to Mr. Semneby’s question, what can and what must do the parliaments in such circumstances, Mr. Torosyan mentioned that the two parliaments could take steps for the establishment of cooperation, provided, if they are sincere and have continuation. Mr. Torosyan stressed the role of PACE, within the framework of which the delegations of Armenia and Turkey meet four times in a year and work jointly both in the committees and plenary sessions. Still in autumn of 2003 in Strasbourg the head of the delegation of Turkey was offered to meet and create ties, but until now the proposal has not received any answer. Mr. Torosyan considered vivid the fact that no representative from Turkey invited for the hearings came to Armenia. The establishment of the relations between two countries is in favour both for two countries and the region in general, and if Armenia is not putting preconditions, it does not mean that Armenia has no problems, simply the Armenian side is more sincere and ready for the establishment of relationship and in reality faithful to the principles of Euro integration. Referring to the issue of recognition of Genocide, the NA President considered unacceptable the requirements of the Turkish side on the creation of the historians’ committee, having an impact on the Diaspora, on prevention of the recognition of Genocide by the other countries. First, the historians always have the opportunity to write articles and deliver speeches, then it’s useless to discuss if there was genocide or not. The facts evidently show that millions of Armenians today don’t live there where their fathers and grandfathers lived, the considerable part of them died, and the rest formed the Armenian Diaspora. There are numerous witnesses confirming the fact of Genocide, which belong to the foreign figures, who had been in Turkey during those days. And finally the fact of Genocide has been discussed in the Turkish parliament, and in 1919-1920 the Turkish military court has passed a death penalty sentence on the 7 organizers of the Genocide. And these are well-known facts. And eventually for confirming or not confirming the relations not the historians bear the responsibility, but the politicians, whose steps also follow the historians, who cannot be free in today’s Turkey in the expression of their views. After the establishment of independence the passed period showed that speaking with dictations and blockades with Armenia is not the best way for the establishment of relations.

The Special Representative of the European Union for the South Caucasus Ambassador Mr. Peter Semneby agreed with NA President, that without creation of the committee the historians are free to cooperate with each other and there must not be any precondition from the view of the results, and the authorities must have decisive role.

During the meeting the sides touched upon other issues too.