ERDOGAN TELLS OBAMA TURKEY, MINSK GROUP SHOULD JOIN FORCES
asbarez
Monday, March 26th, 2012
Obama and Erdogan during a meeting last year
SEOUL, South Korea (Combined Sources)-Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Erdogan, during a meeting with President Barack Obama, has suggested
that Turkey and the OSCE Minsk Group join efforts to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Meeting in the South Korean capital ahead of the Nuclear Security
Summit, the two leaders reportedly focused on the current situation
around Syria, but also discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Erdogan also expressed Turkey's discontent over the new resolution
in the U.S. Congress regarding the Armenian Genocide.
"I reminded Obama that during the past two decades the OSCE Minsk
Group has not succeeded in settling the conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. And since the issue has reached a deadlock, I suggested
that we talk to Azeris and Minsk Group co-chairing France, Russia and
the United States try to persuade Armenia, so that they can solve the
issue," Erdogan was quoted as saying in the Turkish Sabah newspaper.
"I told Obama that we are tired. Every year in April we face the same
problem, whether Republicans come [to power] or Democrats, the issue
remains the same. I showed him the steps we had taken, brought Akhtamar
as an example," said Erdogan, referring to the reconstruction of the
medieval Armenian church in Lake Van in 2010, and the permission to
Armenian Christians to hold liturgies there once a year.
The Turkish premier called on Obama "not to mistake U.S. senators,
lawmakers and politicians for historians."
"I congratulated the Prime Minister on the efforts that he's made
within Turkey to protect religious minorities. I am pleased to hear
of his decision to reopen the Halki Seminary," said Obama following
the meeting with Erdogan.
"I just want to say how much I appreciate the opportunity to once
again meet with my friend and colleague, Prime Minister Erdogan. I
think it's fair to say that over the last several years, the
relationship between Turkey and the United States has continued to
grow across every dimension. And I find Prime Minister Erdogan to be
an outstanding partner and an outstanding friend on a wide range of
issues," said Obama.
asbarez
Monday, March 26th, 2012
Obama and Erdogan during a meeting last year
SEOUL, South Korea (Combined Sources)-Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Erdogan, during a meeting with President Barack Obama, has suggested
that Turkey and the OSCE Minsk Group join efforts to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Meeting in the South Korean capital ahead of the Nuclear Security
Summit, the two leaders reportedly focused on the current situation
around Syria, but also discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Erdogan also expressed Turkey's discontent over the new resolution
in the U.S. Congress regarding the Armenian Genocide.
"I reminded Obama that during the past two decades the OSCE Minsk
Group has not succeeded in settling the conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. And since the issue has reached a deadlock, I suggested
that we talk to Azeris and Minsk Group co-chairing France, Russia and
the United States try to persuade Armenia, so that they can solve the
issue," Erdogan was quoted as saying in the Turkish Sabah newspaper.
"I told Obama that we are tired. Every year in April we face the same
problem, whether Republicans come [to power] or Democrats, the issue
remains the same. I showed him the steps we had taken, brought Akhtamar
as an example," said Erdogan, referring to the reconstruction of the
medieval Armenian church in Lake Van in 2010, and the permission to
Armenian Christians to hold liturgies there once a year.
The Turkish premier called on Obama "not to mistake U.S. senators,
lawmakers and politicians for historians."
"I congratulated the Prime Minister on the efforts that he's made
within Turkey to protect religious minorities. I am pleased to hear
of his decision to reopen the Halki Seminary," said Obama following
the meeting with Erdogan.
"I just want to say how much I appreciate the opportunity to once
again meet with my friend and colleague, Prime Minister Erdogan. I
think it's fair to say that over the last several years, the
relationship between Turkey and the United States has continued to
grow across every dimension. And I find Prime Minister Erdogan to be
an outstanding partner and an outstanding friend on a wide range of
issues," said Obama.