WASHINGTON
Turkish Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis touched on the US President Barack Obama's April 24 statement regarding 1915 incidents and said, "We have to look beyond words. We have to focus on common interests."
"Unfortunately, today, the Armenian diaspora extorts the actual national interests of Armenia," added Bagis, who is currently in Washington.
Bagis stated Turkish Americans and Armenian Americans tried their best in order to form a lobby at the White House and at the US Department of State for which words Obama would use in the official statement about 1915 incidents.
"I think we have to look beyond just the words and statement in this topic. We have to focus onto common interests. Unfortunately, today, the Armenian diaspora extorts the actual national interests of Armenia," underscored Turkish minister.
Bagis noted that an open and wide understanding was a must to have, and if it was not there, it would have wrong outcomes.
"We all have to focus on the future with a long-term vision; we have to come over some problems", stated Bagis.
Furthermore, within the scope of his US visit, Bagis came together with the EU Ambassador to the United States Joao Vale de Almeida and ambassadors of EU states to the United States.
Later on, Bagis will receive the Deputy US Trade Representative and Ambassador Miriam Sapiro and representatives from the Jewish community and attend dinner to beb hosted by Turkey's Ambassador in Washington Namik Tan in his honor.
