former President of Turkey Suleyman Demirel said on Saturday as writes the newspaper "Milliyet".
"To open the borders of Turkey to take retaliatory steps. To open the borders, Armenia should abandon territorial claims to Azerbaijan," said Demirel.
Turkey and Armenia are trying to normalize relations, which were interrupted in 1993. The reasons for the gap have been initiated diplomatic Yerevan anti campaigns related to the claims of the Armenian side on the recognition of the so-called "genocide", and the occupation of Armenia, 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul accepted the proposal of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to visit Armenia at a football match between Armenia and Turkey on 6 September last year in the group games round the world championship. After this visit, diplomatic efforts to normalize relations between the two countries continue.
According to Demirel, other countries were interested in the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border ,without however specifying which countries.
Referring to the discussion of the so-called "genocide" of Armenians in the U.S. Congress, the opening of the borders of Armenia will not be long-term solution to this non-issue in the U.S. Congress.
"I do not think that Turkey can win anything from the opening of borders with Armenia," said former President Demirel.
Suleyman Demirel was the president of Turkey from 1993 to 2000.
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