, Turkey
Feb 7 2010
Turkey’s FM talks to reporters on high-level contacts in Munich
Davutoglu said the normalization process of Turkey-Armenia relations
was one on which we have made extensive thoughts and a vision.
Sunday, 07 February 2010 14:41
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Saturday the
normalization process of Turkey-Armenia relations was one on which we
have made extensive thoughts and a vision.
Speaking to Turkish journalists as part of the 46th Munich Conference
on Security, Davutoglu said that the normalization process of
relations between Turkey and Armenia was one on which "we made
detailed thoughts and one that includes a vision".
This vision involves not merely the normalization of relations between
Turkey and Armenia but also improvement of Turkish-Armenian commercial
relations and turning the Caucasus into a field of peace and welfare,
Davutoglu underlined.
Surely there will be ups and downs during the process and certain
difficulties may be experienced, Davutoglu emphasized.
We knew that the process may have developed in this direction since
the beginning. Our thoughts, concerns and uneasiness on this matter
are clear. We discuss the status quo that arose after a recent
decision made by the Armenian Constitutional Court (on protocols
signed by Turkey and Armenia in 2008) with all relevant sides in an
extremely open way. Within this framework, we hope that the process
continues in accordance with the vision we have determined and that,
at the end, we establish new peace and stability in the region that
could benefit the Turkish and Armenian peoples, Turkey and Armenia, as
well as the Azerbaijanis. We will never stop efforts on this matter
and we are committed to move the process according to principles
established at the beginning, Davutoglu underlined.
In reference to Turkey’s mediatory role between Syria and Israel,
Minister Davutoglu said that, whenever Syria and Israel were ready and
whenever they felt a need for Turkey’s contributions, Turkey would not
take a step back from making all contributions and efforts possible.
Within this framework, we will follow the developments closely and
take the necessary steps, Davutoglu underlined.
The Munich Conference on Security facilitated a crucial platform of
dialogue thanks to the participation of high level dignitaries,
Davutoglu said.
The issues discussed and meetings we held as part of the Munich
Conference were highly important and timely. Turkey is a country that
has excellent viewpoints on the Middle East. We bring up these
viewpoints at every platform. We will talk about these viewpoints here
and publicize them and share them with the public opinion, Davutoglu
said.
Touching on his bilateral talks in Munich, Minister Davutoglu said
that he held an extremely comprehensive meeting with the President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
We have discussed with President Aliyev the results of a trilateral
summit held by Russian President Dmitriy Anatolyevich Medvedev,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian and Aliyev, the recent developments
in the region, the latest point reached in the matter of Upper
Karabakh, and Turkish-Armenian relations in Sochi, Davutoglu said.
Davutoglu said that he and Swiss Chief of Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, "a dignitary who played a
crucial role in normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia",
discussed the normalization process and that he conveyed Turkey’s
thoughts on this issue.
Within this context, I had talks with the Deputy Secretary of U.S.
State Department, James B. Steinberg. Mr. Steinberg was in Yerevan. He
has informed me about his impressions in Armenia. We have conveyed our
views in exchange. We also talked about the latest developments at the
U.S. House of Representatives and an "Armenian resolution" there. We
discussed the situation in the Caucasus and Balkans, Davutoglu noted.
I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, someone with whom
Bosnia-Herzegovina has close relations for their European Union (EU)
process. In addition, I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Sweden,
Carl Bildt, and U.S. President Barack Obama’s National Security
Council Adviser James B. Jones on bilateral relations and certain
international topics, Davutoglu said.
We discussed, with Mr. Jones, joint security topics, Iran’s nuclear
program and the Middle East problem, Davutoglu said.
Pointing out that he met with the Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr
Motaki in Turkish capital of Ankara and that he had a chance to
continue talks with Motaki in Munich, Davutoglu said that the issue of
Iran’s nuclear file was handled and that bilateral relations as well
as the Middle East problem were discussed in a comprehensive fashion.
I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Serbia. We will hold a
trilateral meeting with the Serbian Foreign Minister and the Foreign
Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina in Ankara on Tuesday. This meeting will
be the fifth one between the three sides and we plan to hold a
trilateral meeting every month. We will evaluate the steps to be taken
in order to facilitate stability in the Balkans, Davutoglu underlined.
Minister Davutoglu had separate meetings with the Chairperson of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano, Secretary
General of NATO Ander Fogh Rasmussen and European Union (EU) rotating
president Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Miguel
Angel Moratinos Cuyaube.
Foreign Minister Davutoglu will deliver a speech on "Security and
Stability in the Middle East" in a panel discussion in Munich on
Sunday. Davutoglu will later meet with the U.S. Special Envoy to
Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke.
We will talk about Turkey’s would be contributions to Afghanistan with
Mr. Holbrooke. I will later hold a tete-a-tete meeting with the French
Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs Bernard Kouchner,
Davutoglu said.
AA