Anadolu Agency, Turkey
March 25 2010

Turkish foreign minister says country’s ambassador to return to Sweden

Ankara, 24 March: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said
Wednesday Turkey’s Ambassador in Stockholm, Zergun Koruturk, will
return back to Sweden at the beginning of next week.

Speaking in a programme on CNN Turk TV channel, Davutoglu said that
Ambassador Koruturk, who was recalled after the Swedish Parliament
recently adopted a bill on the incidents of 1915, will go back to
Stockholm very shortly.

"The cases in the United States and Sweden are not the same. The
Swedish government clearly opposed the adoption of a bill on the
incidents of 1915 at the Swedish Parliament. The Swedish government
clearly demonstrated its stand on the bill regarding the incidents of
1915," Davutoglu stressed.

Within this frame, statements from Sweden were satisfactory, Davutoglu
also said.

Davutoglu further said that the recent adoption of a resolution on the
incidents of 1915 at the Foreign Relations Committee of the United
States House of Representatives has caused deep reaction despite well
rooted relations between Turkey and the US adding that there was no
problem in the nature of relations between Turkey and the United
States.

There has been significant progress in the normalization of relations
between Turkey and Armenia. Turkey has made enormous contributions in
this regard. We will question the sincerity of a country if we are not
well understood at a time when we must be actually properly
understood. As a principle, we are against the evaluation of history
in this fashion, Davutoglu underlined.

The Turkish foreign minister saw Turkey as a subject in international
arena. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey was a
subject in international arena, not an object.

"This means that Turkey is carrying out its relations on its own, and
it does not get any instructions from any one," Davutoglu told a
televised interview.

Davutoglu remarks came after allegations that Turkey had started to
normalize its relations with Armenia, launched a democratic initiative
and a process regarding the seminary in Heybeliada, Istanbul after US
President Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey in April 2009.

"This is an unjust accusation against the governments of the Republic
of Turkey," he said.

Davutoglu said Turkey would only make necessary consultations with
other countries.

The Turkish minister defined the normalization process with Armenia as
a part of Turkey’s programme of "zero problem with neighbouring
countries".

"Turkey will be in peace and deep relations with all its neighbours
today and tomorrow," he said.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols on October 10, 2009 to
normalize relations between the two countries. The protocols envisage
the two countries to establish diplomatic ties and open the border
that has been close since 1993. Turkey and Armenia also agreed to take
steps to operate a sub-commission on impartial scientific examination
of the historical records and archive to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations, in which Armenian, Turkish as well as Swiss
and other international experts would take part. However, on January
12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Armenia declared a decision of
constitutional conformity on the protocols. Turkey thought the fifth
article of Armenian Constitutional Court’s verdict regarding the
protocols was against the target and basis of the protocols.

On Iraq, Davutoglu said Turkey was having close relations will all
ethnic and political groups in Iraq.

"Iraq policy means northern Iraq policy, and northern Iraq policy
means fighting the terrorist organization," he said.

Davutoglu said Turkey would continue countering terrorism, but saw
Iraq as a whole.

The foreign minister defined the timing of the democratic initiative
during the counter-terrorism process as a right step.

"If our security is taken under guarantee as the area of freedom is
broadened, this is a permanent security," he said.

Commenting on stories that German Chance llor Angela Merkel proposed
privileged partnership to Turkey, Davutoglu said it was not an
official remark and Germany was supporting Turkey’s European Union
(EU) full membership bid.

Davutoglu said Cyprus was one of the chapters that prevented healthy
course of the process.

"Unfortunately, the EU has not assumed an objective attitude towards
Cyprus," he also said.

The EU countries had decided in 2006 not to open 8 chapters in
accession negotiations and suspending the conclusion of the remaining
chapters in process on the grounds that Turkey failed to fulfil its
responsibilities stemming from the "Additional Protocol" to the
Association Agreement which stipulates Turkey to open its ports and
airports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes.