U.S. CALLS TURKEY FOR OPENING BORDER WITH ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The United States calls Turkey for
opening the border with Armenia. Matthew Bryza, the American Co-chair
of the OSCE Minsk Group, stated on January 15, at the conference Wider
Black Sea Region: Prospects of International and Regional Security.
According to him, during the recent visit of Turkish President Abdullah
Gul to Washington, the leaders of the two countries declared the start
of a new stage of overcoming distrust and a new stage of strategic
relations between the parties. According to M. Bryza, the parties
registered a new approach over energy issues, as well as in connection
with the South Caucasus and Armenia. "It does not mean that Turkey has
assumed some commitments and the borders will be suddenly opened or new
pipelines and roads will pass through Armenia. However, this is our
purpose and it is not unrealistic," he mentioned. According to M.
Bryza, establishment of close relations between Ankara and Washington
creates a good historic possibility for Armenia and Turkey to improve
their relations, which will also result in the opening of the border in
the future. "We encourage our Turkish allies to make use of this
historic situation. Though Turkey has put forward some preconditions
for normalization of the relations, we hope that the moods are changing
and these preconditions will be withdrawn," M. Bryza said. According to
him, the Armenian party can also undertake some steps to withdraw these
preconditions by recognizing the current borders.
According to M. Bryza, the improval of the Armenian-Turkish relations
will be greatly conditioned by the process of Nagorno Karabakh
settlement. "I will not say that we are optimistic. However, the
negotiations are at a very important stage and it is time that the
parties reach an agreement over the main principles," the MG American
Co-chair said.