U.S. LEADER URGES TURKISH PRESIDENT STEP UP EFFORTS
Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Oct 19 2009
During a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah
Gul, U.S. President Barack Obama discussed the situation in Afghanistan
and the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement.
The two leaders talked about "historic progress" that is being made
to normalize relations between longtime foes Turkey and Armenia and
stressed the importance of intensifying necessary efforts, reported
Associated Press.
A high-ranking official of the U.S. Department of State, who was member
of the U.S. delegation led by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
during the Zurich ceremony, told Associated Press that the United
State is interested in the Armenian-Turkish border being reopened
for the primary reason that it will open a way to Afghanistan.
U.S. President Barack Obama intends to state again the necessity of
ratifying the Armenia-Turkey Protocols signed in Zurich on October
10 as soon as possible, a high-ranking European diplomat told NEWS.am.
During his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
on October 19, President Obama intends to voice the U.S. position:
linking the ratification with other issues is fraught with a breakdown
of the Armenia-Turkey normalization process, which is unacceptable.
Moreover, if the voting fails in the Turkish Parliament, Erdogan may be
relieved of his post, as Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s position is
ratifying the protocols in the near future without any preconditions,
including ones related to the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.