Armenian-Turkish relations nothing to do with Russia-Eduard Sharmazanov

Speaking to tert.am, the Parliament Vice Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov stated that Armenia-Turkey relations are unrelated to Russia.

He was asked to comment on the concerns raised by Artur Baghasaryan, a former secretary of the National Security Council , in a recent interview with the Russian Komsomolskaya Pravda(over the expediency of Armenia’s military aid to Russia against the looming hazard of a new Russian-Turkish war).

He belives that Armenia which is Russia’s strategic ally, should abide by its commitments to that country with all the responsibility stemming from the logic behind such an alliance.

“Armenia must protect exclusively its national and state rights, which it has always done and does, and will keep doing,” Sharmazanov told the correspondent.

“The Turkish policies we have seen over these years are not in line with the standards of a democratic country,” he said, citing the occupation of 35% of Cyprus as a serious disrespect for the principle of territorial integrity.

“Turkey is a country which is trying to poke its nose into the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, a process in which it has absolutely nothing to do.

Our relations with Turkey are unrelated to the Russia-Turkey relations.

Yes, Russia is our ally, but we are not interested in an escalation in this region,” Sharmazanov added.

He emphasized that for many years Armenia tried to reveal Turkey’s true image to Russia.

“Russia is our strategic ally, but speaking of a war– and I am indeed sorry to say this – is illiteracy in the classical sense of the word ”, he said.