BRUSSELS (ArmRadio)—Turkey’s decision to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli on April 24, the day Armenians mark the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, “cannot be conceived by anyone as a proper step,” Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandain told a press conference on Monday, following an Armenia-EU Cooperation Council meeting in Brussels.

 

“You know that the Armenian President invited President Erdogan to participate in the commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in April 2015,” Nalbandian said. “I conveyed the written invitation to President Erdogan being in Ankara in August of the last year. Until now we haven’t receive any response. Concerning the Turkish President’s invitation, President Sarkisian responded the day after it was received. The text was made available for the press,” Nalbandian said in response to a question from Radio Free Europe.

“I don’t think it is appropriate to organize such an event in Turkey on the 24th of April and I can’t believe that anybody will perceive this as a proper step,” the Armenian Minister said.

Speaking about the tragedy in Gyumri, Nalbandian said: “We hope very much that all investigation procedures will be completed as soon as possible and those guilty will be punished in accordance with the law. Of course, this horrible crime created a lot of natural human anger and emotions in Armenia’s public opinion.”

“As for relations with Russia, we have strong, allied, strategic ties and we will continue to strengthen and enhance them further with joint efforts,” he added.

Edward Nalbandian reiterated that “Armenia is going to develop and deepen comprehensive cooperation and partnership with the European Union, taking into due consideration commitments in other international, integration formats.”