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TURKEY EXAMINES WAYS TO REVIVE ARMENIA DIALOGUE
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 8 2011
As Armenia and Azerbaijan imforms the Minsk Group that they were ready
'to meet again in the near future to have direct dialogue' Ankara
attempts to make this an opportunity to ease relations with Armenia.
Armenia and Azerbaijan's joint appeal to the Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for a peaceful solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem has pushed Turkey to examine whether it
could revive a reconciliation process with Yerevan in due course.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with his Swiss
counterpart Micheline Calmy-Rey, who earlier mediated between Ankara
and Yerevan to draft protocols normalizing ties, on the sidelines of
the OSCE meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in 2009 following secret
talks under the mediation of Switzerland but failed to conclude
the process due to Azerbaijan's strong reaction against Turkey. The
move pushed Turkey to change its position, which made a solution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem as the precondition for improving ties
with Yerevan.
Davutoglu's meeting aimed at measuring the pulse of Switzerland to
see whether it would like to play the same role again if Armenia
and Azerbaijan took progressive steps in solving their dispute of
two decades. Sources said the Swiss took note of Davutoglu's appeal
and will evaluate it on the basis of developments concerning the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
Turkey is under serious pressure from the United States to take steps
to mend ties with Armenia as a strong Armenian diaspora in the U.S.
continues to urge Washington to recognize the 1915 incidents as
"genocide." Vice President Joe Biden said a strong anti-Turkey
coalition has been formed in the U.S., with the Greek and Israeli
diasporas joining the Armenian diaspora-led chorus. There are concerns
that a fresh attempt for recognition of genocide at the Senate would
be approved by U.S. lawmakers as the presidential election looms.
Joint move by Armenia and Azerbaijan
Davutoglu was prompted to hold an unannounced meeting with his Swiss
counterpart following a meeting between Armenian and Azeri foreign
ministers, Edward Nalbandian and Elmar Mammadyarov, with foreign
ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group countries - Russia, France and the
U.S - in Vilnius.
According to the statement released by the OSCE, Nalbandian and
Mammadyarov informed the Minsk Group their presidents were ready
"to meet again jointly in the near future under the auspices of the
Co-Chair countries to continue their direct dialogue, building upon
recent experience, on how to bring peace, stability, and prosperity
to their peoples."
The Minsk Group countries have urged the two countries to finalize the
Basic Principles for the Peaceful Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict. The two countries have agreed further efforts should be
made to work on the details of the procedure applied to investigate
ceasefire violations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 8 2011
As Armenia and Azerbaijan imforms the Minsk Group that they were ready
'to meet again in the near future to have direct dialogue' Ankara
attempts to make this an opportunity to ease relations with Armenia.
Armenia and Azerbaijan's joint appeal to the Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for a peaceful solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem has pushed Turkey to examine whether it
could revive a reconciliation process with Yerevan in due course.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with his Swiss
counterpart Micheline Calmy-Rey, who earlier mediated between Ankara
and Yerevan to draft protocols normalizing ties, on the sidelines of
the OSCE meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in 2009 following secret
talks under the mediation of Switzerland but failed to conclude
the process due to Azerbaijan's strong reaction against Turkey. The
move pushed Turkey to change its position, which made a solution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem as the precondition for improving ties
with Yerevan.
Davutoglu's meeting aimed at measuring the pulse of Switzerland to
see whether it would like to play the same role again if Armenia
and Azerbaijan took progressive steps in solving their dispute of
two decades. Sources said the Swiss took note of Davutoglu's appeal
and will evaluate it on the basis of developments concerning the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
Turkey is under serious pressure from the United States to take steps
to mend ties with Armenia as a strong Armenian diaspora in the U.S.
continues to urge Washington to recognize the 1915 incidents as
"genocide." Vice President Joe Biden said a strong anti-Turkey
coalition has been formed in the U.S., with the Greek and Israeli
diasporas joining the Armenian diaspora-led chorus. There are concerns
that a fresh attempt for recognition of genocide at the Senate would
be approved by U.S. lawmakers as the presidential election looms.
Joint move by Armenia and Azerbaijan
Davutoglu was prompted to hold an unannounced meeting with his Swiss
counterpart following a meeting between Armenian and Azeri foreign
ministers, Edward Nalbandian and Elmar Mammadyarov, with foreign
ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group countries - Russia, France and the
U.S - in Vilnius.
According to the statement released by the OSCE, Nalbandian and
Mammadyarov informed the Minsk Group their presidents were ready
"to meet again jointly in the near future under the auspices of the
Co-Chair countries to continue their direct dialogue, building upon
recent experience, on how to bring peace, stability, and prosperity
to their peoples."
The Minsk Group countries have urged the two countries to finalize the
Basic Principles for the Peaceful Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict. The two countries have agreed further efforts should be
made to work on the details of the procedure applied to investigate
ceasefire violations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress