RATIFICATION SHOULD BE DEALT WITH VIA A "VISIONARY" APPROACH: DAVUTOGLU

news.am
Dec 24 2009
Armenia

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated Ankara position on
Armenia-Turkey Protocols. According to him, reconciliation is linked
with Karabakh peace process, Asbarez reports referring to Hurriyet
Daily News.

The source quotes Davutoglu as saying, "Normalization at the
bilateral level is linked with an improvement in the situation in
Nagorno-Karabakh. The Turkish-Armenian border has been closed for
years but we are still trying to resolve this issue. If the same kind
of good intention can be shown on the other issue, then it may reach
a further level as well."

Asked about Armenian officials’ statements that the protocols will
be annulled if Turkey does not ratify them till April 2010, Turkish
FM replied that "the issue should be dealt with via a ‘visionary’
approach instead of by enacting arbitrary deadlines", the source says.

Davutoglu refuted rumors that he intends to visit Israel, confirming
Ankara’s stance on Tel-Aviv actions in Gaza. He recalled the words
of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, that world powers should force
Israel to end Gaza’s blockade. FM wonders, "Should we now call Carter
anti-Semitic for what he said?"