‘BRILLIANT PROPOSAL ON TURKEY-ARMENIA RELATIONS IN THE WORKS’

Today’s Zaman
May 20 2010
Turkey

Turkey and Armenia have agreed to be "silent for some time"
and evaluate a new, "brilliant" idea on the table, Turkey-US
Interparliamentary Friendship Group and Justice and Development Party
(AK Party) foreign relations deputy chairman Suat Kınıklıoglu
said Wednesday.

Speaking at an event hosted by a think-tank in Washington, D.C.,
Kınıklıoglu said: "There is something new on the table. I cannot
go into detail, but there is a brilliant proposal on Turkey-Armenia
relations and it is up to the Armenians to accept or reject this."

"We are very close to the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations. I
am for the normalization of our relations with Armenia. The
normalization will take place with the political will of the Turks
and Armenians," Kınıklıoglu added.

Touching on the nuclear swap agreement signed recently by Turkey,
Brazil and Iran, Kınıklıoglu said Turkey was disappointed with the
reaction of the United States and Western world after the agreement
was signed.

"I think that the agreement signed in Tehran is worth giving a chance,"
he stressed. There is a lack of confidence among the actors involved
in Iran’s nuclear process, and the agreement is a crucial step in
this regard, he added.

"Many in the US think of Turkey as being naive and not sure about
Iran’s intentions. Turkey is not naive but very realistic, and wants
to expend her time to find a diplomatic solution to the problem by
utilizing her time, energy and diplomatic corps," Kınıklıoglu added.