Edward Nalbandyan: “The Washington meetings consolidated more the conclusions of the Armenian side connected with the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations”

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan at the briefing with Armenian reporters in Washington assessed the meetings of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan who was in Washington to participate in the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by the US President Barak Obama.

How will you assess the visit of the President Serzh Sargsyan to Washington and the meetings he conducted there?

- It was a very important visit. During the recent period close friendly partnership has been established between Armenia and USA, high level political dialogue and active contacts between the leadership of the two countries take place.

This visit and the conducted meetings were important both in respect of more consolidation of bilateral relations and discussion of regional and international issues. Meetings of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan with US President Barak Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton gave an opportunity to continue the constructive dialogue and discussions over the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations as well as over the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

- What harbor has the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations reached after the Washington visit?

- The meeting of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan with the Turkish Prime Minister gave us an opportunity to more clearly picture the stance of the Turkish side. The meetings in Washington once again gave an opportunity to get convinced that our assessments of the recent developments in the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations were right. Our approaches over the further steps have been consolidated. When the president of the republic considers it necessary the public will be informed about the corresponding decision.

- How much was the NK issue discussed at the meeting with Erdogan?

- The Turkish party was trying to start dialogue over the Karabakh issue and the response was what it had previously been: normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations cannot be linked with the Karabakh conflict settlement. I do not think that there are reasons to conduct discussions over the Karabakh issue with the Turkish side. Such reasons do not exist at all. First of all Turkey cannot be a mediator in the Karabakh issue, secondly, Armenia will never make concessions in the NK issue for the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Of course, we must also take into consideration that the linking of the Karabakh issue and the Armenian-Turkish relations will harm the two processes. It is also the position of the OSCE Minsk group countries.

If the Turkish side in respect of its possibilities made wrong calculations, it is their problem. If we started this process with an understanding that there cannot be any preconditions and with the same understanding we continued the process and came to the signing of the protocols. If today Turkey has changed its stance, relevant conclusions must be made whether there are such colleagues in the other side with who it is possible to continue the process.

If Turkey really wants not to fail this process it must show practically that it is ready to ratify the protocols and implement the protocols and go to the normalization of relations without preconditions as soon as possible. The international community is looking forward to it.

- On the eve of the Washington visit Armenian president stated in Tavush province that he departs for the United States with a clear decision and would state about it after the visit.

- The Washington meetings both with the US administration and high-ranked Turkish officials consolidated more the conclusions of the Armenian side connected with the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

- When will the decision be publicized?

- When the president of the country finds that it is the right time for letting the public know.

- Davutoglu stated in an interview to the Azerbaijani APA news agency that the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations is connected with the progress in the Karabakh issue.

- During the dinner served by the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in the honor of the foreign ministers participating in the Summit I had a thorough conversation with Davutoghlu. He said that he did not give such interview at all. He denied it.

Of course, we might have not believe that the Azerbaijani agency is printing an interview with long answers and the Turkish foreign minister says that he has not given such an interview. Besides this denial, Mr. Davutoglu told me that the Turkish Foreign Ministry has already released a statement denying the interview. This once again proves that Azerbaijani mass media must not be believed to.