Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

US diplomat praises Armenian, Turkish presidents' "courage" to meet

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • US diplomat praises Armenian, Turkish presidents' "courage" to meet

    Mediamax, Armenia
    Sept 5 2008


    US DIPLOMAT PRAISES ARMENIAN, TURKISH PRESIDENTS' "COURAGE" TO MEET


    Yerevan, 5 September: U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for
    European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza said in his exclusive
    interview with Mediamax that "we welcome the courage that Armenian and
    Turkish Presidents have shown by agreeing to meet".

    Commenting on Mediamax's request the Turkish President's upcoming
    visit to Yerevan, Matthew Bryza said: "We welcome the courage both
    Presidents have shown by agreeing to meet. They demonstrated wisdom in
    embracing a football match as an opportunity to create new openings in
    pursuit of peace and prosperity".

    "This meeting reflects the reality that for centuries, the people of
    Turkey and Armenia have inhabited a common Anatolian home. We hope
    this meeting will generate accelerated progress toward a just and
    lasting settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, which must
    proceed from the principle of respect for Azerbaijan's territorial
    integrity, and evolve into a political compromise that incorporates
    other principles of international law and diplomatic practice",
    U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State told Mediamax.

    U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
    Affairs Matthew Bryza expressed disagreement in his exclusive
    interview with Mediamax with the opinion that the Russian-Georgian
    crisis will "kill" the Armenian complementary foreign policy.

    "Armenia is an independent country with a sovereign government elected
    by its citizens. It can pursue any path it wishes. The United States,
    which is immensely more powerful than Russia, is a close friend of
    Armenia's, and remains committed to helping Armenia achieve the goals
    of its complementary foreign policy", Matthew Bryza told Mediamax.

    U.S. diplomat also noted that "Russia's invasion of Georgia, during
    which Russia bombed Georgia's railroad and Poti port and tried to cut
    off the free flow of goods across Georgia, also hurt Armenia".

    "We hope to see additional transit routes open up that will link
    Armenia and Georgia to global markets, notwithstanding Russian
    attempts to strangle Georgia's economy and overthrow Georgia's
    democratically elected government," U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of
    State said.

    U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
    Affairs Matthew Bryza expressed hope in his exclusive interview with
    Mediamax that "the OSCE Minsk Group can continue in its previous way,
    though Russia's relations with all of us in the West are undergoing
    profound change".

    Matthew Bryza said this commenting the statements of some U.S. experts
    who suggest that after the Russian-Georgian war the cooperation of the
    U.S. and Russia within the Co-Chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group
    will be impossible.

    "As President Bush and Secretary Rice have made clear, now is not the
    time for business as usual with Russia. At the same time, the U.S.,
    Russia, and France have accomplished a great deal within the Minsk
    Group. Speaking personally, I am deeply fond of Russian Co-Chair
    Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov, who is a talented diplomat, a wise
    analyst, and a wonderful person," Matthew Bryza said.

    "Regardless of what happens in the nearest future with the OSCE Minsk
    Group, the United States, my superiors, and I personally will only
    intensify our efforts to help Armenia and Azerbaijan reach a just and
    lasting settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict," Chief
    U.S. Negotiator stressed.
Working...
X