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Today's Zaman , Turkey
Nov 27 2010
In Bern, Gül voices Turkey's commitment to Armenia ties
27 November 2010, Saturday / TODAY'S ZAMAN WITH WIRES, ANKARA
Turkey is firmly committed to pushing ahead to normalize ties with
Armenia despite a stalemate in diplomatic efforts to that effect,
President Abdullah Gül has stated in remarks delivered during a
two-day state visit to Switzerland.
`It is evident that these subjects are not easily resolved,' Gül said
on Thursday, the first day of his visit, as he was addressing the
Swiss parliament, the lower house of which is among a number of
European parliaments that have recognized the killings of Anatolian
Armenians in the early 20th century as genocide.
Turkey categorically denies genocide charges, saying there were deaths
on both sides as the Ottoman Empire tried to end an Armenian revolt in
collaboration with the Russian army that was then invading eastern
Anatolia.
`However, we maintain our firm vigorous commitment to the protocols,
which aim to normalize Turkish-Armenian relationship,' he said,
referring to pacts signed between the two parties last October in
Zurich. `We will continue our efforts so that a sustainable and
comprehensive peace dominates the Caucasus,' he added.
Gül expressed hope that his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarksyan
`continues with the same courage so that the process can be crowned
with success.'
Switzerland last year mediated between Armenia and Turkey, which have
had no formal ties since 1993, leading to the signing of two protocols
to restore diplomatic ties and open their border as a first step
towards ending decades of hostility stemming from the killings of
Armenians during World War I.
But the process came to a standstill after the two sides accused each
other of modifying the texts of the protocols, and Turkish leaders
began to link progress in the normalization efforts to progress in
ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a close ally and a key energy
supplier for Turkey that opposes Turkish-Armenian rapprochement unless
Yerevan takes steps to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
In a speech welcoming Gül, Swiss President Doris Leuthard also urged
Turkey and Armenia to push ahead with normalizing ties. `Switzerland
is persuaded that there must not be a retreat before any efforts to
continue the track of dialogue and cooperation, as Turkey and Armenia
have undertaken with great courage these last years,' Leuthard said.
`May the process of normalization continue between the two countries,'
she added.
Speaking at a joint press conference later in the day, both Gül and
Leuthard addressed questions concerning the almost one-year-old
nationwide vote in favor of banning the construction of minarets in
Switzerland.
`Everybody is free to perform their religious practices. While this is
the case, I would also like to see more freedom for places of
religious worship,' Gül said when reminded that he called the ban a
`shame' for Switzerland at the time. `Either a church, mosque or a
synagogue; architectural styles may be formed in a way to be
integrated with the city if there are members of that religion. A
minaret is nothing to be afraid of,' he said.
Along with Leuthard, Gül on Friday participated in a round-table
business meeting and a forum on renewable energies before departing
for Turkey. `As some commentators appropriately stated, Turkey has now
become the healthiest man of Europe,' Gül said, in an apparent
reference to the fact that Turkey's forerunner, the Ottoman Empire,
was at the time described as `the sick man of Europe,' prior to its
collapse after World War I.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-228030-in-bern-gul-voices-turkeys-commitment-to-armenia-ties.html
From: A. Papazian
Nov 27 2010
In Bern, Gül voices Turkey's commitment to Armenia ties
27 November 2010, Saturday / TODAY'S ZAMAN WITH WIRES, ANKARA
Turkey is firmly committed to pushing ahead to normalize ties with
Armenia despite a stalemate in diplomatic efforts to that effect,
President Abdullah Gül has stated in remarks delivered during a
two-day state visit to Switzerland.
`It is evident that these subjects are not easily resolved,' Gül said
on Thursday, the first day of his visit, as he was addressing the
Swiss parliament, the lower house of which is among a number of
European parliaments that have recognized the killings of Anatolian
Armenians in the early 20th century as genocide.
Turkey categorically denies genocide charges, saying there were deaths
on both sides as the Ottoman Empire tried to end an Armenian revolt in
collaboration with the Russian army that was then invading eastern
Anatolia.
`However, we maintain our firm vigorous commitment to the protocols,
which aim to normalize Turkish-Armenian relationship,' he said,
referring to pacts signed between the two parties last October in
Zurich. `We will continue our efforts so that a sustainable and
comprehensive peace dominates the Caucasus,' he added.
Gül expressed hope that his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarksyan
`continues with the same courage so that the process can be crowned
with success.'
Switzerland last year mediated between Armenia and Turkey, which have
had no formal ties since 1993, leading to the signing of two protocols
to restore diplomatic ties and open their border as a first step
towards ending decades of hostility stemming from the killings of
Armenians during World War I.
But the process came to a standstill after the two sides accused each
other of modifying the texts of the protocols, and Turkish leaders
began to link progress in the normalization efforts to progress in
ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a close ally and a key energy
supplier for Turkey that opposes Turkish-Armenian rapprochement unless
Yerevan takes steps to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
In a speech welcoming Gül, Swiss President Doris Leuthard also urged
Turkey and Armenia to push ahead with normalizing ties. `Switzerland
is persuaded that there must not be a retreat before any efforts to
continue the track of dialogue and cooperation, as Turkey and Armenia
have undertaken with great courage these last years,' Leuthard said.
`May the process of normalization continue between the two countries,'
she added.
Speaking at a joint press conference later in the day, both Gül and
Leuthard addressed questions concerning the almost one-year-old
nationwide vote in favor of banning the construction of minarets in
Switzerland.
`Everybody is free to perform their religious practices. While this is
the case, I would also like to see more freedom for places of
religious worship,' Gül said when reminded that he called the ban a
`shame' for Switzerland at the time. `Either a church, mosque or a
synagogue; architectural styles may be formed in a way to be
integrated with the city if there are members of that religion. A
minaret is nothing to be afraid of,' he said.
Along with Leuthard, Gül on Friday participated in a round-table
business meeting and a forum on renewable energies before departing
for Turkey. `As some commentators appropriately stated, Turkey has now
become the healthiest man of Europe,' Gül said, in an apparent
reference to the fact that Turkey's forerunner, the Ottoman Empire,
was at the time described as `the sick man of Europe,' prior to its
collapse after World War I.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-228030-in-bern-gul-voices-turkeys-commitment-to-armenia-ties.html
From: A. Papazian