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DINK REQUESTED PENNINGTON TO HELP IMPROVE RELATIONS

Politics

“I worked in Ankara and met with Azeri reporters before arriving in Armenia,” US Charge d’Affaires Joseph Pennington said during today’s meeting with Armenian reporters.

Reporters wanted to know the U.S. attitude to Article 301 of Turkey’s Penal Code which envisages punishment "for endorsement of the Armenian genocide."

According to Pennington the U.S. Government has announced many times that Article 301 hinders freedom of speech.

In reply to A1+’s question how the USA reacts to Turkey’s tough stance towards Armenian-Turkish relations Joseph Penington said, “The U.S. government calls on the two countries under question to start a dialogue as it stems from the interests of both countries.”

Today the U.S. Charge d’Affairs recalled his meeting with Hrant Dink. During his tenure in Ankara he learnt that he would continue his diplomatic mission in Armenia. He arranged a meeting with Dink over the telephone. They met and discussed a number of things, including Armenian-Turkish relations.

I visited Dink’s editorial office in front of which he was later tragically assassinated. We walked to his favourite restaurant and talked for about two hours. Dink was a brilliant personality. During the meeting Hrant Dink kept saying that he is proud of being Armenian but he also loved Turkey. He gave Pennington useful information on a number of issues. Finally Pennington asked Dink how the USA could help the two countries. Dink asked Pennington “to help improve the relations.”