TURKEY’S PRESIDENT SAYS EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

Anadolu Agency
May 8 2009
Turkey

Prague: Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday that he had the
impression that some steps have been made at the meeting of Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsian.

"I hope such opportunities will not be missed and I hope positive
developments will occur in the Caucasus," President Gul told a news
conference in Prague where he came to attend "EU Southern Corridor"
energy summit.

"Relations between Turkey and Armenia were discussed during my meeting
with Sargsian and all the matters related to the Caucasus were assessed
during my meeting with Aliyev," he said.

Gul said Turkey was located at an important route related to shipping
of gas and oil coming from the Caucasus, Central Asia, Middle East,
Russia and Arab countries to western countries.

"Nabucco is one of the most important part of southern energy corridor
project. Turkey gives high importance to this project," Gul said and
expressed hope that an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding
would be signed.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday that, "we have renewed
commitment on normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia".

"Works are underway for normalization of relations between Turkey and
Armenia," Gul said when asked to comment on opening of Turkish-Armenian
border.

Gul denied any tension between Turkey and Azerbaijan while speaking
at a news conference in Prague where he came to attend "EU Southern
Corridor" energy summit.

Asked if EU made a commitment to open energy chapter heading, Gul said,
"such a development will be in the interest of both Turkey and the
EU. Opening of this chapter is at EU’s discretion. I am not insistent
on it. This is in fact a commitment of the EU. Opening of this chapter
is related to credibility of the EU."

Gul later departed from Czech capital Prague for Turkey.