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ANKARA: FM Davutoglu Seeks Support For Armenian Reconciliation

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  • ANKARA: FM Davutoglu Seeks Support For Armenian Reconciliation

    FM DAVUTOGLU SEEKS SUPPORT FOR ARMENIAN RECONCILIATION

    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n .php?n=fm-davutoglu-seeks-support-for-armenian-rec onciliation-2009-09-15
    Hurriyet Daily News
    Sept 15 2009
    Turkey

    Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu meets with three opposition parties
    to discuss the reconciliation process with Armenia and urge them to
    support the two proposed protocols in the upcoming parliamentary vote

    Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu consecutively visited three opposition
    parties Tuesday afternoon to urge them to back the two agreed-upon
    protocols related to the Armenian reconciliation process.

    His tour started with the Welfare Party, or SP, which is known for
    its pro-Islam line. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his allies
    shared the same roots with the SP before they set up the ruling Justice
    and Development Party, or AKP. SP leader Numan Kurtulmus, however,
    seemed to be unconvinced based on his remarks after the meeting.

    "It means an obvious concession. Turkey mustn't open the
    border gate unless Armenia withdraws from the occupied lands of
    Nagorno-Karabakh. In order to make new friendships and gain credit
    in the international scene, we don't have the right to upset our
    Azerbaijani brothers as the Azerbaijani-Armenian dispute has been
    ongoing for more than 17 years," he told reporters.

    With hopes of ending century-old hostility between two neighbors,
    Davutoglu continued his meetings at the headquarters of the main
    opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP.

    CHP leader Deniz Baykal also seemed unconvinced, criticizing that
    the protocols are "too ambiguous," except for the article on the
    border opening. "There are no signs of ending the occupation in
    Nagorno-Karabakh and recognizing the Kars Agreement [which defines
    the eastern Turkish border]. Nothing is clear yet how the so-called
    genocide claims will be solved or what sort of academics should
    convene with what authority," Baykal said.

    "Only the border-opening article depends on a timetable. There
    is legal binding in one hand and hopeful and wishful waiting in
    the other," he said, referring to the long-awaited European Union
    promises. Turkey had inked an additional protocol and agreed to open
    its ports to new-EU member Cyprus in 2004 as a result of promises to
    end isolation over northern Cyprus.

    Davutoglu completed his tour with talks with the Democratic Left Party,
    or DSP. DSP leader Masum Turker confirmed that it was a productive and
    informative meeting. Davutoglu underscored how a national consensus
    is important and reiterated his call on opposition leaders to look
    closely at the protocols and provide maximum contribution to the
    normalization process.

    US envoy reiterates his support

    U.S. Ambassador to Ankara James Jeffrey expressed his support for the
    Armenia-Turkey reconciliation process on Tuesday after his talks with
    Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin.

    "As expressed before, we support this process and hope it will
    continue," Jeffrey told reporters.

    Avoiding further comments, he said: "The subject is between Turkey and
    Armenia, so you will decide. We politically back and seek peace and
    stability throughout the Caucasus. We play a key role in the Minsk
    Group [to solve the Azerbaijani-Armenian dispute] and especially
    support the process between Turkey and Armenia."
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