Armenia-Turkey relations discussed at Swiss Foreign Ministry
05.02.2010 20:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Swiss Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting between
Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, Feridun Sinirlioglu and
Switzerland’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Michael Ambul
Friday, February 5.
As Swiss Foreign Ministry spokesman Erik Reumann told PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter, Armenia-Turkey reconciliation was discussed among other
issues.
Bilateral meetings between Turkish and Swiss Foreign Ministries carry
regular character, Erik Reumann stated.
When asked if Feridun Sinirlioglu voiced Ankara’s concerns over the
ruling of Armenian Constitutional Court on Armenia-Turkey
rapprochement, the spokesman refused a reply.
As he noted, Switzerland has completed its mission as mediator in
Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, having assumed observer’s position.
As was reported earlier, to prevent Armenia-Turkey rapprochement
process disruption, Ankara intends to send diplomats to US and
Switzerland. Ankara’s concerns over RA Constitutional Court’s ruling
on rapprochement Protocols were to be presented, urging US and Swiss
authorities to undertake steps to prevent process disruption.
The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish
counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of
diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.
On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of
Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.
Commenting on the CC ruling, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
said that `the decision contains preconditions and restrictive
provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols.’
‘The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these
Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach cannot
be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed
allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence
to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same
allegiance from the Armenian Government,’ the Ministry said.