ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT COULD TAKE MANY YEARS: COUNCIL OF EUROPE SECRETARY GENERAL

Tert.am
14:55 ~U 09.02.10

The reconciliation process between Armenia and Turkey is reassuring,
said Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland in an
interview with CNNTurk, while adding that the process might be
temporary.

"I don’t know what the outcome of the normalizing relations process is
going to be in the short-term. I can’t say whether the the Protocols
will be ratified in the countries’ parliaments or not. There are
political obstacles in that matter. However, the first step has
been taken, and I’m sure that it won’t be the last. The process can
last 5, 10 or 20 years; however, Armenia and Turkey are neighbouring
countries," said Jagland.

The Council of Europe Secretary General also spoke about the role
that Turkey plays not only in the region, but also in Europe, saying
that he has great expectations from that country.

In a meeting with Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul yesterday, Jagland
expressed his appreciation of the important reforms undertaken
by Turkey in recent years that have made the society more open
and democratic; however, the CoE Secretary General also raised
outstanding issues related to Constitutional reform and to the banning
of political parties.