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TURKISH OFFICIAL SAYS HIS RULING AKP FAILED ON ARMENIA, CYRUS ISSUES
Hurriyet
May 11 2009
Turkey
ISTANBUL - Turkey's ruling AKP has failed to succeed on the issues
of Cyprus and Armenia, although it has made significant progress
in foreign policy during recent years, an official from the party
said Monday.
Turkey has revived its relations with Iran, Iraq, Syria and Russia in
last 6-7 years and made progress on many issues, Suat Kiniklioglu,
deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish
Parliament, told at Chatham House in Britain's capital, London.
"But we failed on two issues. We are not at the point, which we wanted
to be, on the issues of Armenia and Cyprus," he was quoted by Dogan
News Agency, or DHA, as saying.
Ankara has no diplomatic links with Yerevan and closed the border
over Armenia's invasion of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan,
and as it presses the international community with the backing of
the diaspora to admit the so-called "genocide" claims, instead of
accepting Turkey's call to investigate the allegations.
Turkey and Armenia, however, agreed last month on a "road map" deal
for U.S.-backed talks that could lead to the normalizing of ties and
the opening of their border.
The Ankara-Yerevan thaw has reportedly disturbed Azerbaijan, which
says opening the border before the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from the country's occupied territories would run counter to its
national interests. Some media reports have suggested that Azerbaijan,
a supplier of oil and gas to Europe, might even halt the sale of
natural gas to Turkey.
Another major issue of Turkish foreign policy is the island of Cyprus,
which was divided when Turkish Cypriots were forced into enclaves
in 1964.
Relaunched in September 2008 after a four-year hiatus, the leaders
of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities have been involved in
slow-paced reunification talks aimed at reaching an agreement to end
the island's decades-long division.
The talks mark the first major push for peace since the failure of
a U.N. reunification plan in 2004, which was approved by Turkish
Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots.
Kiniklioglu said the ongoing negotiation process in Cyprus was the
last chance to achieve peace in the island.
Hurriyet
May 11 2009
Turkey
ISTANBUL - Turkey's ruling AKP has failed to succeed on the issues
of Cyprus and Armenia, although it has made significant progress
in foreign policy during recent years, an official from the party
said Monday.
Turkey has revived its relations with Iran, Iraq, Syria and Russia in
last 6-7 years and made progress on many issues, Suat Kiniklioglu,
deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish
Parliament, told at Chatham House in Britain's capital, London.
"But we failed on two issues. We are not at the point, which we wanted
to be, on the issues of Armenia and Cyprus," he was quoted by Dogan
News Agency, or DHA, as saying.
Ankara has no diplomatic links with Yerevan and closed the border
over Armenia's invasion of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan,
and as it presses the international community with the backing of
the diaspora to admit the so-called "genocide" claims, instead of
accepting Turkey's call to investigate the allegations.
Turkey and Armenia, however, agreed last month on a "road map" deal
for U.S.-backed talks that could lead to the normalizing of ties and
the opening of their border.
The Ankara-Yerevan thaw has reportedly disturbed Azerbaijan, which
says opening the border before the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from the country's occupied territories would run counter to its
national interests. Some media reports have suggested that Azerbaijan,
a supplier of oil and gas to Europe, might even halt the sale of
natural gas to Turkey.
Another major issue of Turkish foreign policy is the island of Cyprus,
which was divided when Turkish Cypriots were forced into enclaves
in 1964.
Relaunched in September 2008 after a four-year hiatus, the leaders
of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities have been involved in
slow-paced reunification talks aimed at reaching an agreement to end
the island's decades-long division.
The talks mark the first major push for peace since the failure of
a U.N. reunification plan in 2004, which was approved by Turkish
Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots.
Kiniklioglu said the ongoing negotiation process in Cyprus was the
last chance to achieve peace in the island.