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US Ambassador to Armenia: 2015 will be opportunity for Turkey to
normalize ties with Armenia
arminfo
Saturday, June 9, 17:42
2015, the centennial of the events of 1915, will be an opportunity for
Turkey to improve relations with Armenia, Ambassador of the United
States to Armenia John Heffern said in an interview to Today's Zaman.
He added that it will be an important year for both sides.
"Hopefully Turkey and Armenia will find a way to make 2015 an
inclusive affair and part of a constructive process. 2015 will be a
sensitive year. Therefore, it will be an opportunity to bring two
nations together," said Heffern, adding there was great anticipation
of 2015 in Armenia.
"2015 should be a year of win-win for both countries, not win-lose,"
said the ambassador. In an interview with Today's Zaman, Heffern
stated that relations between Turkey and Armenia were not important
solely for the sake of the two nations involved but also for the
Unites States. He recommended three tracks to be taken between the two
countries: "The first track is the ratification and the implementation
of the protocols, which is the key and primary track.
The US hopes both sides will ratify and implement the protocols, which
have already been signed."
"[The United States'] primary goal is to bring about reconciliation
between Turkey and Armenia," said Heffern, adding the US had not
ceased to support the protocols.
Heffern also touched upon increasing tensions that rose along the
Azerbaijani-Armenian border last Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of
soldiers from both sides. "Nagorno-Karabakh is indeed an important
issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The recent clashes along the
Azerbaijani-Armenian border shows that Nagorno-Karabakh is a critical
issue and that the status quo is not acceptable to either side," said
Heffern.
He stated that the US, through the Minsk Group - a multipartite
platform established to seek a solution to the political and
territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia - had tried to find
a peaceful solution to the dispute. "There is no other solution than a
peaceful solution. The US believes that diplomacy is the right path to
reconciliation," said Heffern.
normalize ties with Armenia
arminfo
Saturday, June 9, 17:42
2015, the centennial of the events of 1915, will be an opportunity for
Turkey to improve relations with Armenia, Ambassador of the United
States to Armenia John Heffern said in an interview to Today's Zaman.
He added that it will be an important year for both sides.
"Hopefully Turkey and Armenia will find a way to make 2015 an
inclusive affair and part of a constructive process. 2015 will be a
sensitive year. Therefore, it will be an opportunity to bring two
nations together," said Heffern, adding there was great anticipation
of 2015 in Armenia.
"2015 should be a year of win-win for both countries, not win-lose,"
said the ambassador. In an interview with Today's Zaman, Heffern
stated that relations between Turkey and Armenia were not important
solely for the sake of the two nations involved but also for the
Unites States. He recommended three tracks to be taken between the two
countries: "The first track is the ratification and the implementation
of the protocols, which is the key and primary track.
The US hopes both sides will ratify and implement the protocols, which
have already been signed."
"[The United States'] primary goal is to bring about reconciliation
between Turkey and Armenia," said Heffern, adding the US had not
ceased to support the protocols.
Heffern also touched upon increasing tensions that rose along the
Azerbaijani-Armenian border last Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of
soldiers from both sides. "Nagorno-Karabakh is indeed an important
issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The recent clashes along the
Azerbaijani-Armenian border shows that Nagorno-Karabakh is a critical
issue and that the status quo is not acceptable to either side," said
Heffern.
He stated that the US, through the Minsk Group - a multipartite
platform established to seek a solution to the political and
territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia - had tried to find
a peaceful solution to the dispute. "There is no other solution than a
peaceful solution. The US believes that diplomacy is the right path to
reconciliation," said Heffern.