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RUSSIAN, ARMENIAN LEADERS DISCUSS TURKEY IN FRESH TALKS
Asbarez
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
ROSTOV
Russia (RFE/RL)-The presidents of Russia and Armenia discussed the
future of Turkish-Armenian relations during fresh talks held in the
southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on Tuesday. They made no public
statements afterwards.
The talks coincided with the second and final day of a European
Union-Russia summit, also held in Rostov-on-Don, and came just three
weeks after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's high-profile visit
to Turkey.
Opening the meeting with Armenia's Serzh Sarkisian, Medvedev said they
will discuss Russian-Armenian economic ties and "regional issues"
of mutual interest. "I have had several important trips [abroad]
during which - I won't hide that - we also discussed the situation
with the Turkish-Armenian settlement and some other issues," he said
in remarks publicized by the Kremlin.
"I have had contacts with some European colleagues. So I have something
to tell you, something to share with you," added Medvedev.
"Working meetings are very important," Sarkisian was reported to
reply. "I think that this is a very good format."
Neither the Kremlin, nor official Yerevan released any details of
their ensuing conversation. Sarkisian's office said only that Medvedev
agreed to visit Armenia in August.
The office announced on Monday that Sarkisian has been invited by his
Russian counterpart to pay a two-day "working visit" to Rostov-on-Don.
It said the Armenian leader will attend an annual horse race organized
by Medvedev and meet with the governor of the Rostov region as well
as leaders of the local Armenian community. There was no word on the
agenda of his meeting with Medvedev.
Medvedev reportedly discussed with Turkish leaders the stalled process
of normalizing Turkey's relations with Armenia, Russia's main regional
ally, when he visited Ankara last month. He reiterated Moscow's stated
support for the success of that effort strongly backed by the West.
Medvedev also appeared to sidestep implicit Turkish calls for stronger
Russian pressure on Armenia, which Ankara says is essential for
achieving a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement and thereby unlocking its
fence-mending negotiations with Yerevan. Still, he said Moscow will
consult with the Turks in its Karabakh-related diplomacy, prompting
concern in Armenian political circles.
Opposition politicians and some analysts in Yerevan claim that the
Russian leadership could pressure Armenia to make more concessions to
Azerbaijan for the sake of Russia's increasingly warm and deep rapport
with Turkey. Armenian leaders dismiss this speculation. They also
rule out any Turkish involvement in Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations
jointly mediated by the United States, Russia and France.
Earlier this year, Sarkisian praised the Russians for publicly
rejecting the Turkish linkage between a Karabakh settlement acceptable
to Azerbaijan and the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. The
EU likewise favors an unconditional establishment of diplomatic ties
between the two neighbors and opening of the Turkish-Armenian border.
Medvedev and Sarkisian already discussed the Turkish-Armenian
normalization and the Karabakh dispute at their previous face-to-face
meeting held in Moscow in late April. It came one week after
Sarkisian's talks in Washington with U.S. President Barack Obama,
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.
"As close partners, as strategic allies - I've picked a more precise
term - we must see each other often," Medvedev told Sarkisian. He
thanked the Armenian president for attending last month's celebrations
in Moscow of the 65th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi
Germany.
"I was very pleased with that," added Medvedev. "And, of course,
that demonstrates the extent of the closeness of our states and their
desire to develop strategic ties in the future."
From: A. Papazian
Asbarez
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
ROSTOV
Russia (RFE/RL)-The presidents of Russia and Armenia discussed the
future of Turkish-Armenian relations during fresh talks held in the
southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on Tuesday. They made no public
statements afterwards.
The talks coincided with the second and final day of a European
Union-Russia summit, also held in Rostov-on-Don, and came just three
weeks after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's high-profile visit
to Turkey.
Opening the meeting with Armenia's Serzh Sarkisian, Medvedev said they
will discuss Russian-Armenian economic ties and "regional issues"
of mutual interest. "I have had several important trips [abroad]
during which - I won't hide that - we also discussed the situation
with the Turkish-Armenian settlement and some other issues," he said
in remarks publicized by the Kremlin.
"I have had contacts with some European colleagues. So I have something
to tell you, something to share with you," added Medvedev.
"Working meetings are very important," Sarkisian was reported to
reply. "I think that this is a very good format."
Neither the Kremlin, nor official Yerevan released any details of
their ensuing conversation. Sarkisian's office said only that Medvedev
agreed to visit Armenia in August.
The office announced on Monday that Sarkisian has been invited by his
Russian counterpart to pay a two-day "working visit" to Rostov-on-Don.
It said the Armenian leader will attend an annual horse race organized
by Medvedev and meet with the governor of the Rostov region as well
as leaders of the local Armenian community. There was no word on the
agenda of his meeting with Medvedev.
Medvedev reportedly discussed with Turkish leaders the stalled process
of normalizing Turkey's relations with Armenia, Russia's main regional
ally, when he visited Ankara last month. He reiterated Moscow's stated
support for the success of that effort strongly backed by the West.
Medvedev also appeared to sidestep implicit Turkish calls for stronger
Russian pressure on Armenia, which Ankara says is essential for
achieving a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement and thereby unlocking its
fence-mending negotiations with Yerevan. Still, he said Moscow will
consult with the Turks in its Karabakh-related diplomacy, prompting
concern in Armenian political circles.
Opposition politicians and some analysts in Yerevan claim that the
Russian leadership could pressure Armenia to make more concessions to
Azerbaijan for the sake of Russia's increasingly warm and deep rapport
with Turkey. Armenian leaders dismiss this speculation. They also
rule out any Turkish involvement in Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations
jointly mediated by the United States, Russia and France.
Earlier this year, Sarkisian praised the Russians for publicly
rejecting the Turkish linkage between a Karabakh settlement acceptable
to Azerbaijan and the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. The
EU likewise favors an unconditional establishment of diplomatic ties
between the two neighbors and opening of the Turkish-Armenian border.
Medvedev and Sarkisian already discussed the Turkish-Armenian
normalization and the Karabakh dispute at their previous face-to-face
meeting held in Moscow in late April. It came one week after
Sarkisian's talks in Washington with U.S. President Barack Obama,
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.
"As close partners, as strategic allies - I've picked a more precise
term - we must see each other often," Medvedev told Sarkisian. He
thanked the Armenian president for attending last month's celebrations
in Moscow of the 65th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi
Germany.
"I was very pleased with that," added Medvedev. "And, of course,
that demonstrates the extent of the closeness of our states and their
desire to develop strategic ties in the future."
From: A. Papazian