Armenian President Serge Sarkisian on Monday met with members of the Armenian community in Washington, where he reiterated that the country is ready to normalize its relations with its neighbors but will not accept pre-conditions.
Sarkisian visited the tomb of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, who strongly supported an independent Armenia, at the National Cathedral in Washington and later met with representatives of the Armenian community.
He praised the Armenian diaspora because "especially in the last decades, it became one of the most fervent links for the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian genocide," he said.
Armenians claim that 1.5 million of their relatives were killed during the Ottoman Empire and that the act constituted genocide. Turkey rejects the label, arguing that thousands were killed on both sides during civil strife.
In October, the two countries signed historic protocols agreeing to normalize relations and open their land border. But Armenia has since accused Turkey of stalling ratification of the protocols and adding preconditions about the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
“Our disposition was and is very clear," Sarkisian said. "Turkey can’t speak in the language of preconditions with Armenia and the people of Armenia. We simply will not allow it."
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