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CLINTON DIVES INTO CAUCASUS POLITICS WITH FOUR-NATION TOUR
Hurriyet
June 5 2012
Turkey
US Secretary of State Clinton launches a South Caucasus tour with
Karabakh and regional issues on the agenda. After Armenia, Georgia
and Azerbaijan, she will head to Turkey
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton kicked off a tour of the South
Caucasus yesterday, including stops in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
and Turkey, arriving first in Yerevan for talks with Armenian leaders.
Clinton was scheduled to meet with President Serzh Sarkisian and
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, with the aim of strengthening
relations with the country. The top issue expected to be discussed is
the unresolved conflict over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite
years of internationally-mediated talks since the 1994 cease-fire,
Armenia and Azerbaijan have not signed a final peace deal, and soldiers
are frequently killed in border skirmishes.
The latest shooting erupted yesterday, just as Clinton landed in the
capital. Azerbaijani troops killed three Armenian soldiers during an
alleged attempted incursion on the border, the Defense Ministry in
Yerevan said. Azerbaijani media reported that the three deaths were
caused by an Armenian army "provocation" that was repelled.
Syria agenda According to U.S. officials, Clinton is also using
her visit to stress the importance of the rule of law, transparency
and fair elections, Agence France-Presse reported. Washington also
wants to encourage Armenia and Turkey to resolve their historical
differences and to open trade and communication lines. The Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA), the biggest and most influential
U.S. Armenian group, has suggested 10 steps that Clinton should
undertake during her visit, including an official visit to the
"Armenian Genocide" memorial.
With Syria in mind, Clinton spoke by telephone earlier with U.N. and
Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who agreed to travel to Washington
on June 8 "to discuss the next steps in his six-point plan, and
in particular the political transition" in Syria, a senior State
Department spokeswoman said.
Trilateral summit on June 8 Clinton also gave Annan a preview of talks
she plans to hold on June 7 in Istanbul with a group of countries with
a direct interest in the unfolding drama in Syria, a U.S. official
said, speaking on condition of anonymity. These were expected
to include France, Britain, Germany, Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
Saudi Arabia and Jordan. One day after, foreign ministers of Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan are set to meet for a trilateral meeting June
8 in Trabzon, a Black Eastern coastal town.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will host Georgian and Azeri
colleagues, Grigol Vashadze and Elmar Mammadyarov, for the one-day
meeting in which regional issues will be discussed in-depth. A day
after the political talks, economic and development ministers as well
as businessmen from three countries will meet in Kars on the Georgian
border for the business forum. Delegations will seek to cooperate
in the fields of agriculture, construction, industry, tourism, real
estate and health.
Today Clinton is scheduled to take part in a plenary session of the
U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission in Georgia. Tomorrow
she is expected to travel to Azerbaijan to meet with President
Ilham Aliyev.
From: Baghdasarian
Hurriyet
June 5 2012
Turkey
US Secretary of State Clinton launches a South Caucasus tour with
Karabakh and regional issues on the agenda. After Armenia, Georgia
and Azerbaijan, she will head to Turkey
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton kicked off a tour of the South
Caucasus yesterday, including stops in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
and Turkey, arriving first in Yerevan for talks with Armenian leaders.
Clinton was scheduled to meet with President Serzh Sarkisian and
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, with the aim of strengthening
relations with the country. The top issue expected to be discussed is
the unresolved conflict over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite
years of internationally-mediated talks since the 1994 cease-fire,
Armenia and Azerbaijan have not signed a final peace deal, and soldiers
are frequently killed in border skirmishes.
The latest shooting erupted yesterday, just as Clinton landed in the
capital. Azerbaijani troops killed three Armenian soldiers during an
alleged attempted incursion on the border, the Defense Ministry in
Yerevan said. Azerbaijani media reported that the three deaths were
caused by an Armenian army "provocation" that was repelled.
Syria agenda According to U.S. officials, Clinton is also using
her visit to stress the importance of the rule of law, transparency
and fair elections, Agence France-Presse reported. Washington also
wants to encourage Armenia and Turkey to resolve their historical
differences and to open trade and communication lines. The Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA), the biggest and most influential
U.S. Armenian group, has suggested 10 steps that Clinton should
undertake during her visit, including an official visit to the
"Armenian Genocide" memorial.
With Syria in mind, Clinton spoke by telephone earlier with U.N. and
Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who agreed to travel to Washington
on June 8 "to discuss the next steps in his six-point plan, and
in particular the political transition" in Syria, a senior State
Department spokeswoman said.
Trilateral summit on June 8 Clinton also gave Annan a preview of talks
she plans to hold on June 7 in Istanbul with a group of countries with
a direct interest in the unfolding drama in Syria, a U.S. official
said, speaking on condition of anonymity. These were expected
to include France, Britain, Germany, Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
Saudi Arabia and Jordan. One day after, foreign ministers of Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan are set to meet for a trilateral meeting June
8 in Trabzon, a Black Eastern coastal town.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will host Georgian and Azeri
colleagues, Grigol Vashadze and Elmar Mammadyarov, for the one-day
meeting in which regional issues will be discussed in-depth. A day
after the political talks, economic and development ministers as well
as businessmen from three countries will meet in Kars on the Georgian
border for the business forum. Delegations will seek to cooperate
in the fields of agriculture, construction, industry, tourism, real
estate and health.
Today Clinton is scheduled to take part in a plenary session of the
U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission in Georgia. Tomorrow
she is expected to travel to Azerbaijan to meet with President
Ilham Aliyev.
From: Baghdasarian