In his San Francisco statement made to journalists Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan censured Armenian leaders. He remarked «Yerevan continues occupation policy,» and again warned Armenian leaders, pointing out Turkey «is not going to withdraw its demand to Armenia over liberation of Azerbaijani lands.» In Erdogan’s words, official Yerevan should prove its interest in normalization of the Turkish-Armenian relations in practice. The PM said, «the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan may be a step to that end,» «Armenia should withdraw the occupied territories and cede them to Azerbaijan in a short term. Otherwise Turkey will not open the border with the invader state.» Touching upon acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide by some western states, Erdogan called such actions unfair and ungrounded. He said recognition of the Genocide does not promote normalization of the Turkish-Armenian relations at all. Thus he noted Armenian leaders should review their policy over the genocide issue. In his words, Armenia loses much when it does not meet Turkey’s demands. Erdogan urged the Armenian Government «not to disseminate hatred between the neighbor peoples and not to use history to that end,» reported the 525 Baku newspaper.
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