‘BRILLIANT PROPOSAL ON TURKEY-ARMENIA RELATIONS IN THE WORKS,Â~@~Y SAYS TURKISH LEADER
Asbarez
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
WASHINGTON
(Combined Sources)–Turkey and Armenia allegedly have agreed to be
"silent for some time" and evaluate a new, "brilliant" idea on the
table regarding Turkey-Armenia relations, Turkey-US Inter-parliamentary
Friendship Group and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
foreign relations deputy chairman Suat Kınıklıoglu said Wednesday,
reported Today’s Zaman.
Speaking at an event hosted by a think-tank in Washington,
KınıklÄ 1;oglu 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,"
according to Today’s Zaman.
"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, as reported by Today’s Zaman/
Two members of Armenia’s ruling Republican Party called the
Kiniklioglu’s assertion false and a lie.
Armenian National Committee of America Governmental Relations Director
Kate Nahabedian was at the event and asked Kiniklioglu to clarify
the reasons why Turkey signed the protocols if it had no intention
of abiding by its "no pre-conditions" principle.
"Thank you for raising the issue of the protocols I am one of the
most outspoken proponents of the protocols. Indeed in 2009 we thought
we were very close, but the process is continuing and no one at the
outset thought it was going to be easy," said the Turkish leader.
Saying that no one thought the process would be easy, Kinikiaoglu
offered: "Let’s look at the positives, now we have two documents in
detail outlining how normalization should take place."
"I think we have a much more psychologically ready atmosphere on both
sides that normalization is possible and can take place. Actually,
Azerbaijan has, in recent months, shown a much more constructive and
positive attitude to the extent that I continue to be optimistic as
I was in 2009," explained Kinikiaoglu.
"Now let me footnote. Turkey is not blockading Armenia. The land
border is closed with Armenia. The land border is closed. Blockading
is something very different. Airspace is open, there are–every
week–I don’t know how many aircraft landing from Armenia, trade is
continuing through Georgia to Armenia and people to people contact,
be it an NGO or intellectuals, is continuing. Now let’s be fair and
not use the word blockade. Turkey is not blockading Armenia. The land
border is closed," explained Kinikiaoglu.