DURING THE MEETING OF THE ARMENIAN AND TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTERS NO REFER TO THE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT ISSUE WAS MADE
ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 2, 2009
ATHENS
ATHENS, DECEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: During the meeting of the Armenian
and Turkish foreign ministers in Athens the parties spoke about the
process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and processes of
ratification of protocols. No refer to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
issue was made, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said at
a briefing with reporters.
"There was no need to enter into thorough discussions over Karabakh
issue as we cannot tie these two processes with each other," the
minister said. In his speech at the OSCE Ministerial Council he
pointed out that tying of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations will only harm the both processes.
"We tell it to all, including to Turks. It is not only our opinion,
it is the opinion of the international community," E. Nalbandyan
pointed out. The participants of the session of the Ministerial
Council, referring to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, were pointing
out in their speeches that the process of settlement of the Karabakh
conflict is not connected with the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations. According to Azerbaijani sources, in Athens during the
meeting of the Azerbaijani and Turkish foreign ministers A. Davudoghlu
said that as if at the meeting with the Armenian foreign minister he
said that the protocols will not be ratified as far as the Karabakh
conflict is not settled.
"Why we signed these protocols if we are not going to ratify and
implement them. I think that the two parties realize that it is
necessary to ratify the protocols in the possible reasonable timeframe
and implement them," the Armenian foreign minister said, explaining
that "reasonable timeframe" means not creating artificial obstacles,
difficulties on that way.
The initiator of the meeting of the Armenian and Turkish foreign
ministers was the Turkish side, and Armenia gave its consent. "As
far as we are conducting a process, why not meet and speak? Thanks to
dialogue, meetings and negotiations today we have two signed protocols
which open an opportunity for the normalization of further relations,"
the minister pointed out.