TURKEY’S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS TURKEY WANTS TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
Anatolia News Agency
July 24 2008
Turkey
Turkey’s foreign minister expressed on Thursday Turkey’s willingness
to normalize relations with Armenia.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that Turkey also wanted to
create an atmosphere of dialogue with Armenia.
"Turkish president, prime minister and foreign minister sent letters
to their Armenian counterparts after recent elections in Armenia,
and these letters aimed to open a new door of dialogue with the
new (Armenian) administration," Babacan told a press conference in
New York.
Babacan is actually in New York City to lobby for Turkey’s candidacy
for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.
Turkey’s foreign minister said that Turkey’s aim was to have zero
problems with its neighbours.
"Naturally, we are also expecting some concrete steps from the other
party," Babacan said.
Babacan expressed his belief that Turkey’s problems could be solved
through dialogue, and underlined importance of setting up a joint
committee of historians to deal with the incidents of 1915.
On appointment of Alexander Downer, Australia’s former foreign minister
as the new UN special representative for Cyprus, Babacan said that
he saw the appointment as an important signal that the organization
would more closely and seriously deal with the Cyprus problem.
"The UN should intervene in settlement of Cyprus problem," he also
said.
Babacan expressed Turkey’s wish that comprehensive talks would be
launched in Cyprus soon.
Also, Babacan expressed pleasure with the dialogue and cooperation
of Turkey and the United States.