TURKISH FM MEETS OPPOSITION LEADER TO DISCUSS TURKEY-ARMENIA PROTOCOL
Trend
Sept 15 2009
Azerbaijan
Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davudoglu met with Deniz Baykal, Leader
of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), to discuss the Turkey-Armenia
protocol reached under the mediation of Switzerland, Turkish Cihan
news agency reported.
On Aug. 31, Turkey and Armenia in the talks mediated by Switzerland
reached an agreement to launch "internal political consultations"
to sign the Protocol on Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and
Protocol on Development of Bilateral Relations, the Turkish Foreign
Ministry reported.
Political consultations will be completed within six weeks, and
following that two protocols will be signed and submitted to the
two countries’ parliaments for approval. At present Turkey does not
plan to open the borders with Armenia, Turkish Foreign Minister,
Ahmet Davudoglu, said.
Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.
The Turkish Foreign Ministrer appealed to hold a meeting to discuss
the Turkey-Armenia protocol reached by the mediation of Switzerland
in the Turkish Parliament. Davudoglu said that he will meet with
the leaders of the country’s opposition leaders to discuss the
Ankara-Yerevan protocol.
The meeting between the opposition leader and Davudoglu to discuss
the protocol is expected to take place on Sept.15.
Deniz Baykal, Turkish Opposition Leader, demanded to include the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue in the Ankara-Yerevan protocol signed in August.
Devlet Bahcheli, Leader of other opposition party "National movement",
refused to meet with Davudoglu.