NALBANDIAN CAUTIOUSLY WELCOMES DAVUTOGLU’S RECENT STATEMENT

Today’s Zaman
June 12 2009
Turkey

The exchange of messages between the foreign ministers of Armenia and
Turkey continued Thursday, with the former cautiously welcoming the
latter’s statement that Turkey is willing to normalize its relations
with Armenia as soon as possible.

"We have repeatedly stated that Armenia is ready to normalize
its relations with Turkey without any preconditions. If the latest
statement from the Turkish foreign minister falls in that context and
if they are ready to move in that direction, the statement can only
be welcomed," Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, speaking
at a joint press conference with the visiting foreign minister of
Estonia, was quoted as saying by the Armenian public radio, when he
was reminded of remarks delivered by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu on Monday.

Davutoglu’s message had actually come when he was reminded of recent
remarks by Nalbandian, who last month suggested that it is now Turkey’s
turn to contribute to the ongoing joint efforts with his country for
the normalization of bilateral relations between the two estranged
neighbors, saying, "The ball is in Turkey’s court now."