TURKISH AMBASSADOR: TURKEY TRUE TO LETTER AND SPIRIT OF ZURICH PROTOCOLS
html
Today
April 23 2010
Azerbaijan
Ankara expected the right decision from Yerevan on Zurich protocols,
however, Armenia should comment on its position itself, Turkish
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilich told journalists today.
According to him, Ankara is true to the spirit and logic of the signed
protocols, and always will.
"We are the countries of one region, we are neighbours. Turkey can not
remain indifferent to the region’s problems. The reasons, for which we
closed the border with Armenia in 1993, are well known," – Kilich said.
Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.
President Serzh Sargsyan addressed with a statement on suspension of
the Armenia-Turkey Protocols’ ratification April 23.
Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have been frozen
due to Armenia’s claims of an alleged genocide and its occupation of
Azerbaijani lands. The border between them has been closed since 1993.
According to Kilic, Turkey’s active participation in the processes
occurring in the region, should not bother anyone.
"We support peace and harmony in the Caucasus. We are against the
situation where one "window" is open, and others – are closed. We
stand for something, to stay open all windows to both processes
run simultaneously. We stand for all ‘windows’ to remain open,
both processes to be held in parallel. We are ardent supporters of
friendship, peace"- Kilic stressed.
Regarding the steps that Turkey plans to take in the future, Hulusi
Kilic said that Ankara will not rush through action.
"On the other hand, we hope that more serious steps are taken on the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue and Azerbaijan’s occupied territories.
Depending on the outcome, we’ll decide what to do next," – Kilic said.