TURKEY, ARMENIA SHOULD HONOUR COMMITMENTS – GUL

news.az
Feb 11 2010
Azerbaijan

Abdullah Gul Turkey and Armenia will continue to work to take the
normalization process forward, President Abdullah Gul said on Thursday.

The normalization process is based upon the understanding reached
between the two countries last year, Gul said.

"We have to be aware that concluding this historic process will require
honouring our commitments in their entirety as well as displaying
adequate political courage and vision," Gul said in his response to
the message of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Sargsyan’s plane was able to use Turkish air space to fly to London
last week. The Armenian president sent a courtesy message to Gul
while flying over Turkey.

The normalization process faced difficulties following the Armenian
Constitutional Court’s ruling that the protocols signed between Turkey
and Armenia should not breach Article 11 of the country’s Independence
Declaration which says that Armenia will always stand for the worldwide
recognition of the 1915 incidents as genocide. Though the court found
the protocols compatible with the constitution, this reference caused
deep concern in Ankara.

Gul’s point that the process should move forward based on the
understanding reached between the two countries directly refers to
the ongoing row.

"I also agree with you that responsible governance necessitates both
standing behind words and supporting words with deeds," he said.

"Overcoming the long-established prejudices and nurturing mutual
understanding and trust among our two neighbouring peoples were indeed
our main objectives when endorsing the process of normalization between
our countries. You should have no doubt that our determination to
take these objectives forward is intact, provided that this resolve
and commitment remains reciprocal."

The protocols envisaging the opening of the sealed border and
establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring
countries are yet to be ratified by the parliaments and so have not
come into force.