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ANKARA: FM talks to reporters on high-level contacts in Munich

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  • ANKARA: FM talks to reporters on high-level contacts in Munich

    www.worldbulletin.net, Turkey
    Feb 7 2010


    Turkey's FM talks to reporters on high-level contacts in Munich

    Davutoglu said the normalization process of Turkey-Armenia relations
    was one on which we have made extensive thoughts and a vision.

    Sunday, 07 February 2010 14:41

    Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Saturday the
    normalization process of Turkey-Armenia relations was one on which we
    have made extensive thoughts and a vision.

    Speaking to Turkish journalists as part of the 46th Munich Conference
    on Security, Davutoglu said that the normalization process of
    relations between Turkey and Armenia was one on which "we made
    detailed thoughts and one that includes a vision".

    This vision involves not merely the normalization of relations between
    Turkey and Armenia but also improvement of Turkish-Armenian commercial
    relations and turning the Caucasus into a field of peace and welfare,
    Davutoglu underlined.

    Surely there will be ups and downs during the process and certain
    difficulties may be experienced, Davutoglu emphasized.

    We knew that the process may have developed in this direction since
    the beginning. Our thoughts, concerns and uneasiness on this matter
    are clear. We discuss the status quo that arose after a recent
    decision made by the Armenian Constitutional Court (on protocols
    signed by Turkey and Armenia in 2008) with all relevant sides in an
    extremely open way. Within this framework, we hope that the process
    continues in accordance with the vision we have determined and that,
    at the end, we establish new peace and stability in the region that
    could benefit the Turkish and Armenian peoples, Turkey and Armenia, as
    well as the Azerbaijanis. We will never stop efforts on this matter
    and we are committed to move the process according to principles
    established at the beginning, Davutoglu underlined.

    In reference to Turkey's mediatory role between Syria and Israel,
    Minister Davutoglu said that, whenever Syria and Israel were ready and
    whenever they felt a need for Turkey's contributions, Turkey would not
    take a step back from making all contributions and efforts possible.

    Within this framework, we will follow the developments closely and
    take the necessary steps, Davutoglu underlined.

    The Munich Conference on Security facilitated a crucial platform of
    dialogue thanks to the participation of high level dignitaries,
    Davutoglu said.

    The issues discussed and meetings we held as part of the Munich
    Conference were highly important and timely. Turkey is a country that
    has excellent viewpoints on the Middle East. We bring up these
    viewpoints at every platform. We will talk about these viewpoints here
    and publicize them and share them with the public opinion, Davutoglu
    said.

    Touching on his bilateral talks in Munich, Minister Davutoglu said
    that he held an extremely comprehensive meeting with the President of
    Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

    We have discussed with President Aliyev the results of a trilateral
    summit held by Russian President Dmitriy Anatolyevich Medvedev,
    Armenian President Serzh Sargsian and Aliyev, the recent developments
    in the region, the latest point reached in the matter of Upper
    Karabakh, and Turkish-Armenian relations in Sochi, Davutoglu said.

    Davutoglu said that he and Swiss Chief of Federal Department of
    Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, "a dignitary who played a
    crucial role in normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia",
    discussed the normalization process and that he conveyed Turkey's
    thoughts on this issue.

    Within this context, I had talks with the Deputy Secretary of U.S.
    State Department, James B. Steinberg. Mr. Steinberg was in Yerevan. He
    has informed me about his impressions in Armenia. We have conveyed our
    views in exchange. We also talked about the latest developments at the
    U.S. House of Representatives and an "Armenian resolution" there. We
    discussed the situation in the Caucasus and Balkans, Davutoglu noted.

    I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, someone with whom
    Bosnia-Herzegovina has close relations for their European Union (EU)
    process. In addition, I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Sweden,
    Carl Bildt, and U.S. President Barack Obama's National Security
    Council Adviser James B. Jones on bilateral relations and certain
    international topics, Davutoglu said.

    We discussed, with Mr. Jones, joint security topics, Iran's nuclear
    program and the Middle East problem, Davutoglu said.

    Pointing out that he met with the Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr
    Motaki in Turkish capital of Ankara and that he had a chance to
    continue talks with Motaki in Munich, Davutoglu said that the issue of
    Iran's nuclear file was handled and that bilateral relations as well
    as the Middle East problem were discussed in a comprehensive fashion.

    I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Serbia. We will hold a
    trilateral meeting with the Serbian Foreign Minister and the Foreign
    Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina in Ankara on Tuesday. This meeting will
    be the fifth one between the three sides and we plan to hold a
    trilateral meeting every month. We will evaluate the steps to be taken
    in order to facilitate stability in the Balkans, Davutoglu underlined.

    Minister Davutoglu had separate meetings with the Chairperson of the
    International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano, Secretary
    General of NATO Ander Fogh Rasmussen and European Union (EU) rotating
    president Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Miguel
    Angel Moratinos Cuyaube.

    Foreign Minister Davutoglu will deliver a speech on "Security and
    Stability in the Middle East" in a panel discussion in Munich on
    Sunday. Davutoglu will later meet with the U.S. Special Envoy to
    Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke.

    We will talk about Turkey's would be contributions to Afghanistan with
    Mr. Holbrooke. I will later hold a tete-a-tete meeting with the French
    Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs Bernard Kouchner,
    Davutoglu said.


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