Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 27 2010

DavutoÄ?lu conveys Turkey’s concerns to Sarksyan

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu and Armenian President Serzh
Sarksyan had a comprehensive discussion on developments in the
Caucasus and the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations during a
meeting in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, the Anatolia news agency
reported on Thursday.

DavutoÄ?lu was in Kiev to attend the inauguration of Ukrainian
President Viktor Yanukovych.

Following the meeting, DavutoÄ?lu told reporters that he had expressed
the Turkish side’s concerns to Sarksyan during the meeting. `We also
discussed what should be done in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I had
the chance to convey our concerns, views and vision for the region to
Sarksyan,’ he said.

Speaking about the ideal Caucasus that Turkey would like to see,
DavutoÄ?lu said Turkey wants a Caucasus that does not suffer from
closed borders, occupation or prejudice, but which has peace,
prosperity and stability. `There must be dialogue to realize this
vision,’ he added. Surprisingly, the Armenian presidential
administration reported that President Sarksyan had no meeting with
the Turkish foreign minister, saying only that `DavutoÄ?lu just
approached President Sarksyan and they had an exchange of views.’
During the meeting Sarksyan reportedly emphasized that political will
is needed to move forward. Armenia feels the ongoing process should be
brought to a conclusion within a short period of time; otherwise, as
reported previously, Armenia will withdraw its signature from the
protocols.

President Sarksyan reiterated that Turkey’s engagement in the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict does not appear to be
possible as Turkey positions itself as a country unilaterally
providing military aid to one of the conflicting sides, Azerbaijan,
and always makes `biased announcements’ over the settlement of the
conflict.

While attending a reception following the oath-taking ceremony,
DavutoÄ?lu also spoke of Turkish-Ukrainian relations. DavutoÄ?lu said
Ukraine was a very important neighboring country for Turkey. `Ukraine
has been going through a critical process due to domestic political
developments,’ he said, adding that political stability and domestic
peace in Ukraine were important for Turkey’s regional policy. Noting
that he had met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Petro Poroshenko, and
discussed the steps they would take for the future, DavutoÄ?lu said he
would pay an official visit to Ukraine within the next few months.

`We consider 2010 to be a year during which stability will be restored
in Ukraine and relations between Turkey and Ukraine will be further
strengthened,’ DavutoÄ?lu said.

On the sidelines of his visit to Ukraine, DavutoÄ?lu also met with US
National Security Adviser James Jones and the Swiss chief of the
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, on
Thursday.

DavutoÄ?lu and Jones discussed Turkish-US relations, Iran’s nuclear
program and the developments taking place in the Caucasus. DavutoÄ?lu
and Calmy-Rey talked about the new Turkish president of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and issues on
the council’s agenda. Furthermore, DavutoÄ?lu and Calmy-Rey discussed
the recent developments between Turkey and Armenia vis-a-vis the
protocols signed last year.

DavutoÄ?lu and Calmy-Rey also touched on a ban on minarets in
Switzerland, an issue on which Foreign Minister DavutoÄ?lu conveyed
Turkey’s sensitivity.

27 February 2010, Saturday
TODAY’S ZAMAN Ä°STANBUL