AZG Armenian Daily #221, 28/11/2008

Armenia-Turkey

"NEGATIVE SCENARIOS ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA OF THE MEETINGS"

Ali Babacan comments on the Armenian FM’s visit

Before leaving for Tajikistan on November 25 Turkish Foreign Minister
had a conversation with the journalists at "Esenboga" airport in
Ankara.

According to the Turkish Public TV, to the question of the journalists
how the failure of Azerbaijani-Armenian talks will reflect on the
process of Turkey-Armenia dialogue, Ali Babacan said, ""Negative
scenarios are not on the agenda of the meetings. We always put our
efforts to have positive results".

Babacan underlined that the reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey
will reflect positively on Azerbaijani-Armenian relations as well.

"Those are not separate issues. From a positive perspective, we want
this reconciliation and relations to move forward and not to have a
regress. Taking into account the signals received until today I can
state that we have worked quite positively".

We would like to mention that the EP delegation conducting
negotiations in Ankara highly assessed Turkish Prime Minister’s
initiative to create the "Stability and Cooperation Platform in the
Caucasus" and welcomed the start of Armenia-Turkey dialogue.

By Hakob Chaqrian, translated by L.H