EDWARD NALBANDIAN’S INTERVIEW WITH "KOMERSANT"

Aysor.am
October 12, 2009

The RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian gave an interview with
Vladimir Solovyov, the reporter of "Komersant" daily. He has presented
the present position concerning the negotiations of Armenian –
Turkish protocols and the Karabakh issue.

– The protocols of resuming the Armenian – Turkish relations have
been signed in Zurich. Does it mean a final conciliation between
Yerevan and Ankara?

– The normalization process of the relations was launched by
the initiation of the Armenian president, who on September of the
previous year invited his Turkish counterpart to watch the Football
match. Since that moment the negotiations between the Armenian and
Turkish Foreign Ministries started. On February the talks around
the protocols ended, and on April 2 were pre-signed. On August 31
Yerevan and Ankara announced that they will hold conferences during
6 weeks to get prepared for signing the protocols and for the later
ratification of them.

– Which is the time limits during which the ratification of the
protocols will take place.

– It depends on the Parliaments. We hope it will take place in
reasonable time limits.

– Do you think we’ll witness the opening of the Armenian – Turkish
boarder?

– I wouldn’t exclude anything. It depends on the circumstance how the
sides will follow the agreements and how will go on. Armenia respects
the agreements reached by the participation of other countries.

– Will President Serzh Sargsyan leave for Turkey to watch the football
meeting?

– Earlier our President had stated that he will leave for Turkey if
the boarders will be open or be close to being open.

– Last week in Chisinau after the meeting of the Armenian and Turkish
Presidents the question of the normalization process of the Karabakh
issue was raised. Which is its progress?

If we take into consideration the fact that it is already the
7th meetings of the leaders there is a dynamics we can say and
it is good. At the present the Pr cuss the principles of Madrid
document. Their attention is fixed on two principles. By the mediation
of the Minsk Group the sides try to make their disposition concerning
those issues closer.

– Very often the sides do not want to speak about the details when
they do not see any progress.

– If there would not be any positive dynamics the Presidents will not
meet for the 7th time and nobody would speak about the preparations of
the upcoming meeting of the Presidents. There are a lot of principles
in the Madrid document. Today two of them are being discussed. If we
get agreement on these to principles we’ll move on. And when we reach
agreement on all the principles will start the preparation work of
reconciliation accord. It is a long and difficult process.

– They were saying that the Karabakh conflict is rather close to
settlement. Do the meetings in Chisinau allow you to come to such
a conclusion?

– May be, in comparison with other conflicts it is closer to the
settlement, but it’s not too much, it’s difficult to answer. If they
say there is a positive move it means there is. The role of Dmitry
Medvedev is important. He has had meetings with the Presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan. And all those meetings were fruitful.

– Do you think the participation of the Minsk Group in the settlement
process of the conflict and the participation of Russia are parallel
processes?

– These are processes filling each other. If one of the Minsk Group
co-chairing countries can help so why not to do that? In 2001 France,
the President of France had an active role. Today the active role
has got Russia and its President.

I have the impression that the Karabakh talks are closed as no other
talks. Does it make the process to go on?

– I don’t think that the talks are closer than the others. Many serious
talks are not being held through conferences and interviews. The
day comes when the content of those negotiations becomes available
to the public. The same happened with the Armenian – Turkish
negotiations. There was a m y should be opened. It happened even
before signing which is not accepted. Usually the agreements are
being published after signing. We are not for the secrecy but any
negotiations refer not one but two or more sides.