WASHINGTON AGAIN SIGNALS ANKARA ON SOONEST RATIFICATION OF PROTOCOLS

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.03.2010 11:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s work with Armenia to normalize relations
demonstrates both the promise and the difficulty of this enterprise,
a US senior official said.

"It holds out the prospect of positive transformative change in the
region. The steps taken so far by both countries have shown vision
and courage. Last October, in the presence of Secretary Clinton,
the foreign ministers of France, Russia, and Switzerland, and the EU
High Representative, the Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers signed
protocols on normalizing and developing their relations," Mr. Philip
H. Gordon Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of European and
Eurasian Affairs, said during his sixth annual Sakip Sabanci Lecture.

"We believe that the implementation of these protocols – leading to
diplomatic ties and open borders – would be a historic development that
would benefit both countries and contribute to security and economic
prosperity throughout the region. We appreciate the effort that has
been made so far and urge both countries to ratify the protocols
without preconditions and as soon as possible, a point President
Obama made on the phone to President Gul just two weeks ago.

Let us not squander the historic progress already made. Ratification
will bring valuable benefits to both Turkey and Armenia. All who are
invested in the process must do their part to ensure that it moves
forward," he said.

"Let me address in this context the resolution recently considered
by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. As President Obama has said,
our interest remains a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the
facts related to the events of 1915. But the best way to do that, we
believe, is for the Armenian and Turkish people themselves to address
this history as part of their efforts to build a future of shared
peace and prosperity. As both Secretary Clinton and Secretary Gates
have indicated, further Congressional action could impede progress
on the normalization of relations and for that reason we oppose this
resolution," Mr. Gordon concluded.