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SENIOR US OFFICIAL CALLS ON TURKEY AND ARMENIA TO RATIFY PROTOCOLS
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
A senior U.S. official called on Turkey and Armenia to ratify protocols
signed last year to normalize relations.
Philip Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs, told a press conference that Turkey and Armenia need to move
forward in ratifying and implementing protocols signed last October
on establishing diplomatic relations.
"We believe this is an opportunity to overcome really historic
differences between the two countries in a way that would benefit
both," Gordon said.
"To establish normalized relations between the two countries and open
the border would contribute to peace and stability in the region,
and we think that is true regardless of other issues -- that it needs
to move forward independently of other issues, simply because it is
in the interest of the two countries," he said.
Gordon said that U.S. government was in touch with both government
and that Obama administration encouraged them to move forward.
"Turkey-Armenia normalization is a good thing in and of itself and
it should move forward because of that," he added.
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
A senior U.S. official called on Turkey and Armenia to ratify protocols
signed last year to normalize relations.
Philip Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs, told a press conference that Turkey and Armenia need to move
forward in ratifying and implementing protocols signed last October
on establishing diplomatic relations.
"We believe this is an opportunity to overcome really historic
differences between the two countries in a way that would benefit
both," Gordon said.
"To establish normalized relations between the two countries and open
the border would contribute to peace and stability in the region,
and we think that is true regardless of other issues -- that it needs
to move forward independently of other issues, simply because it is
in the interest of the two countries," he said.
Gordon said that U.S. government was in touch with both government
and that Obama administration encouraged them to move forward.
"Turkey-Armenia normalization is a good thing in and of itself and
it should move forward because of that," he added.