“We were the initiators of the Armenian-Turkish process but today we don’t have control over the initiative and should do everything to get rid of the status of a hostage,” announced member of the ARF Supreme Body, NA Deputy Armen Rustamyan as he touched upon Turkish-Armenian relations during the pan-Armenian forum of the Armenian National Committees. He also added that it’s clear for everyone that the Armenia-Turkish process is not merely a process between two states. It is also a key to resolve certain issues in the region. According to him the best evidence of that was the presence of representatives of so many countries during the signing of the protocols in Zurich. “This means that there are many interested sides in the Turkey-Armenia process,” he added. “Today we hear more about the possibility of war and it seems that Armenia has turned into a hostage. We have to free ourselves from this state of being a hostage as soon as possible." According to him, the main challenge in Turkish-Armenian relations was that Armenia thought it would come out of isolation by starting the process and that establishing relations with the neighboring country would minimize the danger of a war. According to him, Armenia must free itself from the illusion that Turkey has changed, has left the ideas of pan-Turkism aside and there is controversy between Turkey and Azerbaijan. By the way the ARF is planning to hold similar forums in the NKR as well. “We have words to say to the authorities of the NKR as well. We have to tell them to be more active and more zealous in properly presenting their thoughts. They should create the impression in Armenia and in the whole world as well that the NKR has its own opinion and doesn’t depend too much on Armenia. And these viewpoints have to be heard during the negotiations. The NKR should advocate for its standpoints,” said Kiro Manoyan the head of the political office of the ARF Hay Dat.
