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EU: ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS SHOULD BE RATIFIED WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS IN SHORTEST TERMS
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2010 13:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Union will speed up the talks on
conclusion of an Association Agreement with Armenia.
"The European Union will deepen relations with all countries which are
interested in signing an agreement on free trade area and relaxation
of visa regime. A subcommittee on legal issues will be formed to
that end," said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos,
whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency.
"Armenia and the EU are developing relations within the Eastern
Partnership initiative and we were glad to know about the upcoming
visit of the Armenian President to Brussels," he said during a joint
news conference with Armenia's Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
Touching upon regional issues, Mr. Moratinos said the European Union
will continue efforts for resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
As to Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, he said the Protocols on
normalization of relations between the two countries should be ratified
"without preconditions in the shortest terms".
Minister Nalbandian, for his part, remarked that using the language
of preconditions, Turkey hampers the reconciliation process.
Commenting on the Karabakh conflict settlement, he reminded about
Azerbaijan's warlike statements and unwillingness to withdraw snipers
from the frontline. "Yerevan and Baku regularly submit proposals on
the conflict resolution to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs," he said.
The Minister also referred to the Armenian pogroms in Sumgait and Baku,
saying that the perpetrators of the massacre will be sooner or later
called to account.
The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation. On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional
Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to
the country's Organic Law.
The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out in
1988, as result of the ethnic cleansing the latter launched in the
final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from
1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994
(when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most
of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions is
now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are
holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2010 13:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Union will speed up the talks on
conclusion of an Association Agreement with Armenia.
"The European Union will deepen relations with all countries which are
interested in signing an agreement on free trade area and relaxation
of visa regime. A subcommittee on legal issues will be formed to
that end," said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos,
whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency.
"Armenia and the EU are developing relations within the Eastern
Partnership initiative and we were glad to know about the upcoming
visit of the Armenian President to Brussels," he said during a joint
news conference with Armenia's Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
Touching upon regional issues, Mr. Moratinos said the European Union
will continue efforts for resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
As to Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, he said the Protocols on
normalization of relations between the two countries should be ratified
"without preconditions in the shortest terms".
Minister Nalbandian, for his part, remarked that using the language
of preconditions, Turkey hampers the reconciliation process.
Commenting on the Karabakh conflict settlement, he reminded about
Azerbaijan's warlike statements and unwillingness to withdraw snipers
from the frontline. "Yerevan and Baku regularly submit proposals on
the conflict resolution to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs," he said.
The Minister also referred to the Armenian pogroms in Sumgait and Baku,
saying that the perpetrators of the massacre will be sooner or later
called to account.
The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation. On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional
Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to
the country's Organic Law.
The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out in
1988, as result of the ethnic cleansing the latter launched in the
final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from
1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994
(when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most
of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions is
now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are
holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.