The Council of Europe hopes rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia will contribute to resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, General Secretary Thorbjorn Jagland said at a press conference following the hand-over ceremony of the Committee of Ministers chairmanship to Switzerland today.
He said the Council of Europe is ready to assist the parties in the rapprochement process.
“As to rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia, the Council of Europe will do anything to assist the parties in the issue,” Jagland said. “No party turned to us in this regard. Both parties are Council of Europe members, and this fact is important for these countries, as well as for entire process. I welcome this rapprochement and hope it will create an opportunity to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
“KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND TURKEY-ARMENIA PROCESS HAVE NO FORMAL RELATION”
On the other hand Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Chairman and Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline
The Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.
Turkey and Armenia in talks mediated by Switzerland reached an agreement to launch “domestic political consultations” Aug. 31 to sign the “Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and Protocol on the Development of Bilateral Relations,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry reported.
Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey were broken due to Armenian claims of an alleged genocide and its occupation of Azerbaijani lands. Their border closed in 1993.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
Following the signing of the protocols Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan said Turkey will not take steps contradicting Azerbaijan’s interests.
“We hope both Turkey and Armenia will ratify the protocols soon,” the minister said, noting that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution and Turkey-Armenia rapprochement have no formal relation.
According to official, the processes are connected, yet independent at the same time.
“The OSCE Minsk Group is engaged in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The other process deals with the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations with Swiss mediation,” she said.
The minister expressed hope in the prompt ratification of the protocols.
“We hope the ratification process will be held soon. The processes are not connected. Of course, progress on one issue will positively impact the second affair,” the minister added.
The chairmanship of Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers was handed over from Slovenia to Switzerland Nov.18. After the ceremony, Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland, Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar and new Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Chairman Micheline
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