"Turkey and Armenia may soon announce the opening of the border and the agreement to reestablish relations," wrote today the Wall Street Journal, according to its sources.
The timeframe for coming to terms is connected with U.S. Barack Obama's visit to Turkey next week. Wall Street Journal insiders even note that the date for signing the Turkish-Armenian accord is April 16.
Head of the ARF Bureau Kiro Manoyan denied the information according to which the border will be opened by April 16 or April 24.
"Who said that they are going to open the border on April 16? The Turks are simply trying to disseminate such information through anonymous sources until Obama leaves. They want to trick everybody, saying that they want to do something so that Obama will not pronounce the word "genocide"," says Kiro Manoyan.
Although the ARF is not against the opening of the border, Kiro Manoyan can't consider that a positive step. In an interview with "A1+" he said:
"We are getting ready to release a document to prevent the possible dangers of that."
According to Manoyan, Turkey is simply changing its hostile attitude by opening the border.
"It is going to open the border to play a greater role after the situation created after the August war and fight against genocide recognition. This is simply a step that it is in its interest. Turkey has been Azerbaijan's hostage for the past 15 years and now it is taking advantage of the situation and trying to get out of that situation."
The German Foreign Affairs Minister has declared that the Turkish-Armenian rapproachment may speed up the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.
"True, the opening of the border may contribute to the conflict settlement because Azerbaijan will finally understand that there are things that it must accept and one of those things is the fact that Karabakh will never be a part of Azerbaijan," said Kiro Manoyan.
The American journal writes that Turkish and Armenian authorities have come to terms on holding official talks in three paths-open the border, reestablish diplomatic relations and form committees to discuss issues facing both countries.
Kiro Manoyan informed "A1+" that they have expressed and still express concern that the "possible accord must not include any point that puts the fact of genocide in jeopardy, or even any comment and there must not be any point that impedes Armenia from standing up for its rights."
As for the Karabakh conflict, Kiro Manoyan said:
"The Karabakh conflict is out of the scope of Turkish-Armenian relations. Turkey can't be an intermediary and I think that the Turks have understood that. That is why Azerbaijan is threatening Turkey, at least in the presses."
Kiro Manoyan doesn't think that it is right for a Turkish organization to participate in the contest for the construction of a new Armenian nuclear plant or financial management.
"A country that doesn't have diplomatic relations with Armenia must not be allowed to take part in the funding for a project that is significant in terms of national security."
