PHILIP GORDON: ARMENIAN-TURKISH NORMALIZATION, KARABAKH PROCESS GOING AHEAD

armradio.am
30.09.2009 16:39

US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Philip Gordon held a briefing for journalists to comment on the
meetings of Azerbaijani, Armenian and Turkish foreign ministers
with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the margins of the UN
General Assembly 64th session, Press Secretary of the US Department
of State reported.

"During the meeting with Foreign Minister Mammadyarov of Azerbaijan,
the Secretary of State underscored the United States continued strong
support for the Nagorno-Karabakh process. Also in the meeting was our
new Minsk Group co-chair – that is to say, representative to those
talks Ambassador Robert Bradtke, a highly experienced diplomat whose
designation in this job underscores how keen we are to see progress
on that front," Philip Gordon said.

The Assistant Secretary of State continued that "Secretary Clinton met
with Armenian Foreign Minister Nalbandian and she stressed our very
strong support for the continued Turkey-Armenia normalization process."

"She made clear that, for the United States that is a process that
should move forward without preconditions and within a reasonable
timeframe.

She also raised the issue of democratization in Armenia. She stressed
that we cooperate and value our partnership with Armenia on a range
of issues, and wa nted to see that move forward."

According to Gordon, during the meeting with the Turkish Foreign
Minister the Secretary talked about Turkey-Armenia, and again she
stressed the US support for that process.

Philip Gordon refused to make any comments about signings or schedules
of protocols between Armenia and Turkey, which were going to sign a
deal on October 10. "There are things still to be finalized as to
the details of a signature and submission to parliament, said the
Assistant Secretary.

"This is a difficult process that faces some political opposition
in both places, and it’s hard for both governments. We welcome the
process; but we also want to see a conclusion to the process, and
that’s what we’re underscoring when we say that".

When the Turkish journalist asked "Just to spell out preconditions,
you mean that the Armenians don’t stipulate that the Turks recognize
the genocide?" Gordon answered: "I mean, no preconditions means
no preconditions on either side. There are lots of things that
one could try to link this process to, and what we are saying
is that the process is inherently valuable, that we think that
Turkey-Armenian normalization is a good thing, and it shouldn’t
wait for other things to get done or be linked to other things; it
should go ahead. I mentioned in the context of the Secretary’s meeting
with the Azerbaijan i foreign minister the Nagorno-Karabakh process,
which is also going ahead.

If we could succeed on these multiple tracks, we would really take
a major step towards peace and stability in the Caucasus, energy
corridor across the Caucasus, and prosperity in the region. So that’s
why we strongly support these."

Gordon added that Turkish-Armenian normalization was not an initiative
by the United States and it was initiated just by Turkey and Armenia.

"Armenia, without an open border with Turkey, is isolated. We saw
during the war in Georgia in August 2008 that it could be even further
isolated when negative things happen in the region. And a normal
relationship with Turkey would really be a historic development that
would benefit the people of both countries today. It would facilitate
trade between them. And so we actually do think that there is a
historic opportunity in the region," Philip Gordon said.

As for the possibility of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit
to Turkey for a return match, the US Assistant Secretary of State for
European and Eurasian Affairs said: "I understand that the Armenian
president has been invited to Turkey for the return football match. We
think it would be a good thing if he attended it, reciprocating
the attendance of the Turkish president at the match when it was
in Armenia. And you’ll have to ask him under what circumstances he
would go or not go. It would be a good sign and further evidence of
the two countries coming together if he went to the football match."