ARMENIA RESPECTS ITS AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES: MINISTER NALBANDIAN’S INTERVIEW WITH KOMMERSANT DAILY

armradio.am
12.10.2009 15:15

"The process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey
started at the initiative of the Armenian President, who invited
his Turkish counterpart to watch the football match in Yerevan in
September 2008. There have been tens of meetings between the Foreign
Ministers of Armenia and Turkey from that moment on. In February the
negotiations on the two protocols were over and they were initialed
on April 2. On August 31 Armenia and Turkey declared they would hold
six-week internal consultations with a view of signing and ratifying
the protocols," Edward Nalbandian said in an interview with Kommersant
daily in response to the question whether the signing of the protocols
means final reconciliation between Yerevan and Ankara.

According to the Foreign Minister, the terms of ratification depend
on the Parliaments. "It’s up to them to decide. But we hope, they’ll
do it within a reasonable timeframe," he said.

Asked whether we’ll witness the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border
this year, Minister Nalbandian said: "Nothing can be ruled out. It
depends on how the sides will respect the agreements and move forward.

Armenians have always respected and continue to respect agreements
concluded with other countries."

Was there any prog ress registered in the Chisinau meeting of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents? "If we take into consideration the
fact that it was the 7th meetings of the leaders there is a dynamics,
and I would say this dynamics is positive. At present the Presidents
are discussing the principles of the Madrid document. Their attention
is fixed on two principles. The parties are trying to bring their
positions closer with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group," he
said, adding that the President are no negotiating the main issue –
the status of Nagorno Karabakh.

Minister Nalbandian refrained from mentioning any concrete dates
of signing of the final peace treaty. "I would not like to state
that there will be a breakthrough tomorrow, in a month or three. The
negotiations on the basis of the Madrid Principles have moved forward
over the past months. The dynamics is positive," the Armenian Foreign
Minister stated.