DAVUTOGLU: TURKEY COMMITTED TO MOVE FORWARD DIALOGUE WITH ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.02.2010 17:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Speaking to Turkish journalists as part of the
46th Munich Conference on Security, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu said that the normalization process of relations between
Turkey and Armenia was one on which "we made detailed thoughts and
one that includes a vision".
"This vision involves not merely the normalization of relations between
Turkey and Armenia but also improvement of Turkish-Armenian commercial
relations and turning the Caucasus into a field of peace and welfare,"
he said. "Surely there will be ups and downs during the process and
certain difficulties may be experienced. We knew that the process may
have developed in this direction since the beginning. Our thoughts,
concerns and uneasiness on this matter are clear. We discuss the
status quo that arose after a recent decision made by the Armenian
Constitutional Court (on protocols signed by Turkey and Armenia in
2008) with all relevant sides in an extremely open way. Within this
framework, we hope that the process continues in accordance with
the vision we have determined and that, at the end, we establish new
peace and stability in the region that could benefit the Turkish and
Armenian peoples, Turkey and Armenia, as well as the Azerbaijanis. We
will never stop efforts on this matter and we are committed to move
the process according to principles established at the beginning."
Touching on his bilateral talks in Munich, Mr. Davutoglu said that
he held an extremely comprehensive meeting with the President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
"We have discussed with President Aliyev the results of a trilateral
summit held by Russian President Dmitriy Anatolyevich Medvedev,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Aliyev, the recent developments
in the region, the latest point reached in the matter of Nagorno
Karabakh, and Turkish-Armenian relations in Sochi," he said.
Davutoglu said that he and Chief of the Federal Department of Foreign
Affairs of the Swiss Federation Micheline Calmy-Rey, "a dignitary who
played a crucial role in normalizing relations between Turkey and
Armenia", discussed the normalization process and that he conveyed
Turkey’s thoughts on this issue.
"Within this context, I had talks with the Deputy Secretary of U.S.
State Department, James B. Steinberg. Mr. Steinberg was in Yerevan. He
has informed me about his impressions in Armenia. We have conveyed
our views in exchange. We also talked about the latest developments at
the U.S. House of Representatives and an Armenian resolution there. We
discussed the situation in the Caucasus and Balkans," he said.
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.
Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252, introduced in March of 2009
by lead sponsors, Representatives Adam Schiff and George Radanovich,
and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-chairs Frank Pallone and Mark
Kirk, currently has over 135 cosponsors.