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ANKARA: Turkish Preconditions in Ankara-Yerevan Talks Rejected

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  • ANKARA: Turkish Preconditions in Ankara-Yerevan Talks Rejected

    Journal of Turkish Weekly
    Aug 1 2009


    Turkish Preconditions in Ankara-Yerevan Talks Rejected


    Saturday, 1 August 2009

    Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, has recently restated that
    Turkey wants a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict before
    continuing with its normalization of relations with
    Armenia. Azerbaijan, a close friend to Turkey, has been in a
    territorial dispute with Armenia over the region which lays within the
    formers borders.

    The Armenian President, Serge Sarkisian, has criticized Turkey for
    pushing for the precondition which stipulates that unless a resolution
    can be made in the conflict with Azerbaijan, relations will be
    stalled.

    Hurriyet Daily News reports that Sarkisian was quoted by Russia's
    ITAR-Tass news agency as telling young representatives of the Armenian
    diaspora, "Certain political forces in Turkey attempted to advance
    preconditions and link the establishment of diplomatic relations with
    Armenia to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and Armenian-Azerbaijani
    relations." He also said that Armenia has, "extended a hand" to Turkey
    in spite of problems the two have had in the past, including the 1915
    incidents.

    Turkey and Armenia have been in the midst of a normalization process
    since President Abdullah Gul's visit last year, as the first Turkish
    leader to visit Armenia. He attended the first leg of the
    Turkey-Armenia World Cup qualifying match and this October, Sarkisian
    is scheduled to return the visit and attend the match where they will
    face off once again. However, the Armenian President had mentioned
    earlier this week that he would not agree to attend until notable
    diplomatic progress had been made. He is insisting that Turkey take,
    "real steps" and open the border between the two countries.

    The Pro-Armenian members of the United States House of Representatives
    have also expressed disapproval over Turkey's insistence on
    preconditions. They have stated that it is in conflict with the US
    policy that normalization occur without preconditions. The United
    States has backed talks between the two countries for months in order
    to aid in progress but progress has been limited.

    In a letter sent by 81 members of Congress to President Barack Obama,
    complaints that Turkey was not keeping its promise to progress
    Turkey-Armenia relations were highlighted.

    Hurriyet Daily News included this excerpt from the letter, "While the
    government of Armenia remains committed to this road map and has long
    offered to establish ties with Turkey without preconditions, Turkey's
    public statements and actions since April 24 stand in sharp contrast
    to this agreement and undermine U.S. policy that normalization take
    place without preconditions."


    By Stacy Maruskin (JTW)
    Saturday, 1 August 2009
    Journal of Turkish Weekly


    http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/85776/turkish-p reconditions-in-ankara-yerevan-talks-rejected-.htm l
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