EDWARD NALBANDIAN SEES NO SERIOUS OBSTACLES TO THE NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS
armradio.am
24.11.2008 18:30
Speaking at the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization
(BSEC) meeting in Istanbul, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward
Nalbandian said: "I am confident of the organization having a special
responsibility to develop economic development in the wider Black Sea
area. I think that when we created this organization we were twice
less presence, not only member states but also observers and other
participants. Now we have more than 25 countries present for this
meeting. This is another proof that organization is functioning."
According to the Foreign Minister, all countries understand that
they have to join efforts to respond to this global crisis, this
challenge. "We as the BSEC could join efforts not only as organization
and as member states.
Cooperation could be more effective. At the same time the economic
cooperation could be boosted to resolve all problems between
countries," Nalbandian said.
Speaking about the Armenian-Turkish relations, the Armenian Foreign
Minister said: "I am in Istanbul as chairman of BSEC. It is a
pleasure for me to respond to the invitation of my colleagues. We
will continue negotiations concerning normalizations of our bilateral
relations. Active dialogue started early September when Gul came to
watch the soccer match to Armenia."
Mr. Nalbandian said he does not see serious obstacles to the
normalization of relations. "Normalizing relations and opening of
common border without any preconditions, Armenia is ready to do
that and we wait Turkey to do the same. It is interest of Armenia to
establish diplomatic relations with Turkey. There are many countries
in war. They have diplomatic relations; they are open to each other,"
he noted.
The Foreign Minister stated that President Gul invited President
Sargsyan to attend the Turkey-Armenia soccer match in October 2009
and noted that the Armenian side has accepted the invitation.
As regards the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in
November in Moscow, it was not the first one, the Armenian FM noted.
"The first one was in June in St. Petersburg. This November meeting
was very constructive and positive, not from the talks but in the
point of view of the declaration signed. This was the first document
signed by Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia saying Nagorno-Karabakh
must be solved peacefully and in a diplomatic way."
Edward Nalbandian said the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh should be
guaranteed by the international community. He voiced hope that the
Moscow meeting would accelerate the negotiations between the parties
through solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkish Hurriyet
reported.