Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Sept 6 2008
TURKEY HOPES TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH ARMENIA THROUGH DIALOGUE – FOREIGN
MINISTER
Avignon, 6 September: Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on
Saturday [6 September] that it would be for the interest of Armenia to
solve problems with its neighbours.
It would also increase prosperity level through settlement of peace
and stability in the region, added Babacan who spoke to Turkish
reporters in France where he went to attend informal meeting of EU
foreign ministers.
Babacan said that Turkey supported to solve problems through
dialogue. "The target is to produce a solution which will be for the
interest of everybody," he said.
When asked EU’s stance about the visit (of Turkish President Abdullah
Gul) to Armenia, Babacan said that EU had a serious interest towards
the visit, and it also supported Turkey’s Caucasus Stability Pact
proposal to overcome the recent crisis in Caucasus. Babacan said that
the EU expressed pleasure over the issue.
Babacan said that it was important for the EU that Turkey – which was
pursuing full membership talks – had good relations with its
neighbours.
He said that there were important problems between Turkey and Armenia,
adding that Turkey was hoping to solve those problems through
dialogue. Babacan recalled Turkey’s proposal to set up a joint
historians committee, and said that this proposal was still on the
table.
Babacan said that there were problems between Armenians and
Azerbaijanis, and he referred to UN’s resolutions against Armenia to
withdraw from lands of Azerbaijan. Babacan said that Turkey supported
Minsk process.
Upon another question, Babacan said that the visit of Gul to Yerevan
was discussed during the meetings with Azerbaijani president and
foreign minister. "Azerbaijan did not express any negative approach
about the issue," he said. (more)