YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of the April 23 joint statement of RA and Turkish Foreign Ministries the same day ARFD made a statement presenting its strict position on that fact and declaring its intention to discuss the issue of expediency of its participation in the coalition in the coming days. The ARFD statement read: "Normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations has been the pivotal issue of Armenia's state-political agenda in the past months. ARFD has repeatedly stated that good neighborly relations can be established between the two countries only by Turkey's recognizing the Armenian Genocide and by restoration of Armenian people's rights. Raising the blockade and establishment of diplomatic relations without preconditions can be only the first steps on that way. We consider absolutely inadmissible normalization of relations with Turkey at the expense of our state's sovereignty and viability and of the national-state rights of the generations. Being inflexible with regard to these principles we consider inadmissible and condemnable RA Foreign Ministry's signing the April 22 statement with Turkey. We consider that immediately on the eve of the commemoration day of the greatest tragedy of Armenian people, April 24, and in conditions of the Turkish leaders' recent statements on Nagorno Karabakh settlement and in general their openly anti-Armenian statements and under their dictating conditions that document's appearance delivers a blow to Armenia's and Armenian people's interests. Recording that this process implies a change in Armenia's foreign political course in negative respect, ARFD is going to discuss the issue of expediency of its participation in the coalition in the coming days."

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