Will Gagik Tsarukian buy Western Armenia?
"If Gagik Tsarukian wishes, he will buy the whole Western Armenia," member of the Propserous Armenia Party (BHK) Naira Zohrabian told A1+ during today's parliamentary briefing.
A1+ wondered whether Turkey's concerns that Armenians might buy Turkish lands after the Armenian-Turkish frontier opening were grounded.
Asked whether the Armenian leadership strives to return Western Armenia, ARF-Dashnaktsutiun Leader Vahan Hovhannisian said: "As such, the authorities can, but our authorities cannot. Besides, Turkish laws will not allow Armenian businessmen to buy lands; hence our oligarch-deputies cannot easily go to Turkey and buy lands."
BHK Secretary Aram Safarian says three years ago a leading Turkish automobile company announced a tender. Russia-based Armenian businessman Ruben Vardanian expressed readiness to purchase the company for 2 milliard dollars. Turkey's Safety Council immediately called a special sitting and decided not to sell the company to the Armenian businessman as it might endanger the country's national security.
Further on, Mr. Safarian recalled another example. "In the 80s a U.S.-based Armenian businessman reportedly bought a hotel in Van. After the local Turks learnt who the potential buyer was, they made him leave the area. I am confident that if any company is put up for sale in Armenia, the National Security Council and political forces will convene serious discussions on the deal. I am convinced that Armenia's legislative field needs further improvement to be able to compete with a stronger economy like Turkey's," says Aram Safarian.
Leader of the Republican faction Galust Sahakian announced that "our lands will be finally returned to their real owners."
