EDWARD NALBANDIAN EXCLUDES POSSIBILITY OF TURKEY’S ACTING AS MEDIATOR IN SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Turkey may assist with the Karabakh
conflict settlement process as it has some opportunity to influence
Azerbaijan so that the latter will take a more constructive approach
during negotiations. However, as Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian stated at the October 30 press conference, the matter does
not concern Turkey’s mediation in the Karabakh conflict settlement.

The minister denied the rumors that the foreign ministers of Armenia,
Azeraijan and Turkey had allegedly discussed the Karabakh problem in
New York. The New York meeting lasted only 15 minutes, and Turkey’s
diplomatic initiative to create a "Caucasian platform" was discussed
during it.

Declaring that Armenia welcomes this initiative. E. Nalbandian at the
same time pointed out the existence of numerous issues regarding the
format and mechanisms of the initiative. "We do not reject meetings
of any kind, in particular, when meetings are related to issues
of regional security, stability and cooperation, on which the idea
proposed by the Turks is based," the minister said.

As regards the statements of some Turkish officials who condition the
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations by the Karabakh problem, E.

Nalbandian noted that Armenia is conducting negotiatins with Turkey
on establishment of diplomatic relations and opening the borders –
without any preconditions.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress