Protocol News - now signed after last minute hitch
Armenia and Turkey normalise ties
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2009/10/10 18:23:15 GMT
Turkey and Armenia have signed a historic accord normalising relations
after a century of hostility.
The deal was signed by the two foreign ministers after last-minute
problems delayed the ceremony in Switzerland.
Under the agreement, Turkey and Armenia are to resume diplomatic ties
and re-open their shared border.
The accord has been met by protests in Armenia, where many people say
it does not fully address the 1915 killing of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians.
Armenia wants Turkey to recognise the killings as an act of genocide,
but successive Turkish governments have refused to do so.
The agreement calls for a joint commission of independent historians
to study the genocide issue.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Armenian counterpart,
Edward Nalbandian, signed the protocols in Switzerland after a delay of
more than two hours.
The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Zurich says the Armenians had apparently
raised objections to a statement due to be read out by the Turkish
delegation.
The accord needs to be ratified by the parliaments of both countries.
The ceremony was attended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the EU's High Representative
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana.
International campaign
On Friday thousands of people protested against the deal in the
Armenian capital, Yerevan.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Armenian counterpart,
Edward Nalbandian, signed the protocols in Switzerland after a delay of
more than two hours.
The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Zurich says the Armenians had apparently
raised objections to a statement due to be read out by the Turkish
delegation.
The accord needs to be ratified by the parliaments of both countries.
The ceremony was attended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the EU's High Representative
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana.
International campaign
On Friday thousands of people protested against the deal in the
Armenian capital, Yerevan.
HAVE YOUR SAY
It is in the best interest of both countries that they
forget about the past and start a new era in their relationship Abdul
Malik Niazi, Kabul
"The international recognition of the Armenian genocide will be
hindered by this signature, or ratification," said Vahan Hovanissyan, a
member of parliament for the nationalist Dashnak Tsutyun party.
One protester told the BBC he was not opposed to the opening of the
border, but was "against the setting up of a commission that will allow
Turkey to further postpone declaring the killings as genocide".
Hundreds of thousands of Armenians died in 1915, when they were
deported en masse from eastern Anatolia by the Ottoman empire. They
were killed by troops or died from starvation and disease.
Armenians have campaigned for the killings to be recognised
internationally as genocide - and more than 20 countries have done so.
Turkey admits that many Armenians were killed but says the deaths were
part of the widespread fighting that took place in World War I.
A roadmap for normalising relations between Turkey and Armenia was
agreed in April.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 because of its war with
Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno Karabakh.
forget about the past and start a new era in their relationship Abdul
Malik Niazi, Kabul
"The international recognition of the Armenian genocide will be
hindered by this signature, or ratification," said Vahan Hovanissyan, a
member of parliament for the nationalist Dashnak Tsutyun party.
One protester told the BBC he was not opposed to the opening of the
border, but was "against the setting up of a commission that will allow
Turkey to further postpone declaring the killings as genocide".
Hundreds of thousands of Armenians died in 1915, when they were
deported en masse from eastern Anatolia by the Ottoman empire. They
were killed by troops or died from starvation and disease.
Armenians have campaigned for the killings to be recognised
internationally as genocide - and more than 20 countries have done so.
Turkey admits that many Armenians were killed but says the deaths were
part of the widespread fighting that took place in World War I.
A roadmap for normalising relations between Turkey and Armenia was
agreed in April.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 because of its war with
Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno Karabakh.
Turkey, Armenia sign historic accord
ZURICH, 10 OCTOBER
ZURICH, 10 OCTOBER
NOYAN TAPAN-AP.
Turkey and Armenia signed an accord on
Saturday to establish diplomatic relations after a century of enmity,
as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton helped the two sides
clear a last-minute snag.
"It was pulled back from the brink," said a senior U.S. official The
Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers signed the agreement in the
Swiss city of Zurich after a dispute over the final statements they
would make. In the end, the signing took place about three hours later
and there were no spoken statements. Accordind to AP, officials say
Clinton and mediators from Switzerland intervened to help broker a
solution.
The accord is expected to win ratification from both nations'
parliaments and could lead to a reopening of their border, which has
been closed for 16 years. But nationalists on both sides are still
seeking to derail implementation of the deal. American officials said
Clinton; the top U.S. diplomat for Europe, Philip Gordon; and Swiss
Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey were engaged in furious
high-stakes shuttle diplomacy with the Turkish and Armenian delegations
to resolve the differences. Diplomats said the Armenians were concerned
about wording in the Turkish statement that was to be made after the
signing ceremony at University of Zurich and had expressed those
concerns "at the last minute" before the scheduled signing ceremony.
Clinton had arrived at the ceremony venue after meeting separately with
the Turks and Armenians at a hotel, but abruptly departed without
leaving her car when the problem arose. She returned to the hotel where
she spoke by phone from the sedan in the parking lot, three times with
the Armenians and four times with the Turks. At one point in the
intervention, a Swiss police car, lights and siren blazing, brought a
Turkish diplomat to the hotel from the university with a new draft of
his country's statement. After nearly two hours, Clinton and Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met in person at the hotel and drove
back to the university where negotiations continued. It was not clear
if there would be a resolution. In the end, the Turks and Armenians
signed an accord establishing diplomatic ties in hope of reopening
their border and ending a century of acrimony over their bloody past.
"We are trying to boost our relations with Armenia in a way that will
cause no hard feelings for Azerbaijan," Erdogan told reporters.
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said his country was taking
"responsible decisions" in normalizing relations with Turkey, despite
what he called the unhealable wounds of genocide.
The agreement calls for a panel to discuss "the historical dimension"
of the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians during World War
I. The discussion is to include "an impartial scientific examination of
the historical records and archives to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations." That clause is viewed as a concession to
Turkey, which denies genocide, contending the toll is inflated and that
those killed were victims of civil war. "There is no alternative to the
establishment of the relations with Turkey without any precondition,"
said Sarkisian. "It is the dictate of the time."
Clinton, Kouchner and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov were among
the leaders who were on hand to watch the signing as it took place.
Better ties between Turkey, a regional heavyweight, and poor,
landlocked Armenia are a priority for President Barack Obama. They
could help reduce tensions in the troubled Caucasus region and
facilitate its growing role as a corridor for energy supplies bound for
the West. Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, thanked Turkey,
which is a candidate for European Union membership.
"This is an important cooperation, no doubt, of Turkey to solve one
issue that pertains to a region which is in our neighborhood," Solana
told AP Television News after arriving in Zurich. Switzerland, which
mediated six weeks of talks between Turkey and Armenia to reach the
accord, hosted the signing. Necati Cetinkaya, a deputy chairman of
Turkey's governing Justice and Development Party, defended the deal,
saying "sincere steps that are being taken will benefit Turkey." He
said Turkey is aiming to form friendly ties with all its neighbors and
could benefit from trade with Armenia. But Yilmaz Ates of the main
opposition Republican People's Party said Turkey should avoid any
concessions. "If Armenia wants to repair relations ... then it should
end occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh. That's it," Ates said Saturday.
About 10,000 protesters rallied Friday in Armenia's capital to oppose
the signing, and a tour of Armenian communities by Sarkisian sparked
protests in Lebanon and France, with demonstrators in Paris shouting
"Traitor!" On the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Turks have close cultural and
linguistic ties with Azerbaijan, which is pressing Turkey for help in
recovering its land. Turkey shut its border with Armenia to protest the
Armenian invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1993. Turkey wants Armenia to
withdraw some troops from the enclave area to show goodwill and speed
the opening of their joint border, but Armenia has yet to agree, said
Omer Taspinar, Turkey project director at the Brookings Institution in
Washington. "We may end up in a kind of awkward situation where there
are diplomatic relations, but the border is still closed," Taspinar
said.
Saturday to establish diplomatic relations after a century of enmity,
as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton helped the two sides
clear a last-minute snag.
"It was pulled back from the brink," said a senior U.S. official The
Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers signed the agreement in the
Swiss city of Zurich after a dispute over the final statements they
would make. In the end, the signing took place about three hours later
and there were no spoken statements. Accordind to AP, officials say
Clinton and mediators from Switzerland intervened to help broker a
solution.
The accord is expected to win ratification from both nations'
parliaments and could lead to a reopening of their border, which has
been closed for 16 years. But nationalists on both sides are still
seeking to derail implementation of the deal. American officials said
Clinton; the top U.S. diplomat for Europe, Philip Gordon; and Swiss
Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey were engaged in furious
high-stakes shuttle diplomacy with the Turkish and Armenian delegations
to resolve the differences. Diplomats said the Armenians were concerned
about wording in the Turkish statement that was to be made after the
signing ceremony at University of Zurich and had expressed those
concerns "at the last minute" before the scheduled signing ceremony.
Clinton had arrived at the ceremony venue after meeting separately with
the Turks and Armenians at a hotel, but abruptly departed without
leaving her car when the problem arose. She returned to the hotel where
she spoke by phone from the sedan in the parking lot, three times with
the Armenians and four times with the Turks. At one point in the
intervention, a Swiss police car, lights and siren blazing, brought a
Turkish diplomat to the hotel from the university with a new draft of
his country's statement. After nearly two hours, Clinton and Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met in person at the hotel and drove
back to the university where negotiations continued. It was not clear
if there would be a resolution. In the end, the Turks and Armenians
signed an accord establishing diplomatic ties in hope of reopening
their border and ending a century of acrimony over their bloody past.
"We are trying to boost our relations with Armenia in a way that will
cause no hard feelings for Azerbaijan," Erdogan told reporters.
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said his country was taking
"responsible decisions" in normalizing relations with Turkey, despite
what he called the unhealable wounds of genocide.
The agreement calls for a panel to discuss "the historical dimension"
of the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians during World War
I. The discussion is to include "an impartial scientific examination of
the historical records and archives to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations." That clause is viewed as a concession to
Turkey, which denies genocide, contending the toll is inflated and that
those killed were victims of civil war. "There is no alternative to the
establishment of the relations with Turkey without any precondition,"
said Sarkisian. "It is the dictate of the time."
Clinton, Kouchner and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov were among
the leaders who were on hand to watch the signing as it took place.
Better ties between Turkey, a regional heavyweight, and poor,
landlocked Armenia are a priority for President Barack Obama. They
could help reduce tensions in the troubled Caucasus region and
facilitate its growing role as a corridor for energy supplies bound for
the West. Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, thanked Turkey,
which is a candidate for European Union membership.
"This is an important cooperation, no doubt, of Turkey to solve one
issue that pertains to a region which is in our neighborhood," Solana
told AP Television News after arriving in Zurich. Switzerland, which
mediated six weeks of talks between Turkey and Armenia to reach the
accord, hosted the signing. Necati Cetinkaya, a deputy chairman of
Turkey's governing Justice and Development Party, defended the deal,
saying "sincere steps that are being taken will benefit Turkey." He
said Turkey is aiming to form friendly ties with all its neighbors and
could benefit from trade with Armenia. But Yilmaz Ates of the main
opposition Republican People's Party said Turkey should avoid any
concessions. "If Armenia wants to repair relations ... then it should
end occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh. That's it," Ates said Saturday.
About 10,000 protesters rallied Friday in Armenia's capital to oppose
the signing, and a tour of Armenian communities by Sarkisian sparked
protests in Lebanon and France, with demonstrators in Paris shouting
"Traitor!" On the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Turks have close cultural and
linguistic ties with Azerbaijan, which is pressing Turkey for help in
recovering its land. Turkey shut its border with Armenia to protest the
Armenian invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1993. Turkey wants Armenia to
withdraw some troops from the enclave area to show goodwill and speed
the opening of their joint border, but Armenia has yet to agree, said
Omer Taspinar, Turkey project director at the Brookings Institution in
Washington. "We may end up in a kind of awkward situation where there
are diplomatic relations, but the border is still closed," Taspinar
said.
Assocaited Press
Turks, Armenians clear snag to sign accord
By MATTHEW LEE (AP)
10 oct 09
ZURICH ' Turkey and Armenia have signed an accord to establish
diplomatic relations after a century of enmity, as U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton helped the two sides clear a last-minute
snag.
The Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers signed the agreement in the
Swiss city of Zurich on Saturday after a late dispute over the final
statements they would make.
Officials say Clinton and mediators from Switzerland intervened to help
broker a solution.
The accord is expected to win ratification from both nations'
parliaments and could lead to a reopening of their border that has been
closed for 16 years.
But nationalists on both sides are still seeking to derail
implementation of the deal.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further
information. AP's earlier story is below.
ZURICH (AP) ' U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plunged
into dramatic last-minute diplomacy on Saturday to salvage a historic
accord between Turkey and Armenia aimed at normalizing ties after a
century of enmity.
The deal was supposed to establish diplomatic relations to be signed by
the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers in the Swiss city of Zurich,
with Clinton among world dignitaries in attendance. But a dispute over
statements the ministers would make sparked a delay, forcing her
intervention.
"She's involved in working out an agreeable text," a senior U.S. State
Department official said.
American officials said Clinton; the top U.S. diplomat for Europe,
Philip Gordon; and Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey were
engaged in furious high-stakes shuttle diplomacy with the Turkish and
Armenian delegations to resolve the differences.
Diplomats said the Armenians were concerned about wording in the
Turkish statement that was to be made after the signing ceremony at
University of Zurich and had expressed those concerns "at the last
minute" before the scheduled signing ceremony.
Clinton had arrived at the ceremony venue after meeting separately with
the Turks and Armenians at a hotel, but abruptly departed without
leaving her car when the problem arose.
She returned to the hotel where she spoke by phone from the sedan in
the parking lot, three times with the Armenians and four times with the
Turks. At one point in the intervention, a Swiss police car, lights and
siren blazing, brought a Turkish diplomat to the hotel from the
university with a new draft of his country's statement.
After nearly two hours, Clinton and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian met in person at the hotel and drove back to the university
where negotiations continued. It was not clear if there would be a
resolution.
The Turks and Armenians are to sign an accord establishing diplomatic
ties in hope of reopening their border and ending a century of acrimony
over their bloody past.
Their parliaments are expected to ratify it, but nationalists on both
sides are seeking to derail implementation of the agreement. Major
countries, however, expressed their support for the accord, with the
foreign ministers of the United States, Russia, France and the European
Union in the room to watch the signing.
In Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country was
showing "goodwill" to restore ties with Armenia. But he said Turkey was
keen on seeing Armenian troops withdrawn from Nagorno-Karabakh, an
Armenian-occupied enclave in Azerbaijan that has been a center of
regional tensions.
"We are trying to boost our relations with Armenia in a way that will
cause no hard feelings for Azerbaijan," Erdogan told reporters.
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said his country was taking
"responsible decisions" in normalizing relations with Turkey, despite
what he called the unhealable wounds of genocide.
The agreement calls for a panel to discuss "the historical dimension"
of the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians during World War
I. The discussion is to include "an impartial scientific examination of
the historical records and archives to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations."
That clause is viewed as a concession to Turkey, which denies genocide,
contending the toll is inflated and that those killed were20victims of
civil war.
"There is no alternative to the establishment of the relations with
Turkey without any precondition," said Sarkisian. "It is the dictate of
the time."
Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French Foreign
Minister Bernard Kouchner were among the leaders who were on hand to
attend the signing, when it takes place.
Better ties between Turkey, a regional heavyweight, and poor,
landlocked Armenia are a priority for President Barack Obama. They
could help reduce tensions in the troubled Caucasus region and
facilitate its growing role as a corridor for energy supplies bound for
the West.
Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, thanked Turkey, which is
a candidate for EU membership.
"This is an important cooperation, no doubt, of Turkey to solve one
issue that pertains to a region which is in our neighborhood," Solana
told AP Television News after arriving in Zurich.
Switzerland, which mediated six weeks of talks between Turkey and
Armenia to reach the accord, is hosting the signing.
Necati Cetinkaya, a deputy chairman of Turkey's ruling Justice and
Development Party, defended the deal, saying "sincere steps that are
being taken will benefit Turkey." He said Turkey is aiming to form
friendly ties with all its neighbors and could benefit from trade with
Armenia.
But Yilmaz Ates of the main opposition Republican People's Party said
Turkey should avoid any con
cessions.
"If Armenia wants to repair relations ... then it should end occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh. That's it," Ates said Saturday.
About 10,000 protesters rallied Friday in Armenia's capital to oppose
the signing, and a tour of Armenian communities by Sarkisian sparked
protests in Lebanon and France, with demonstrators in Paris shouting
"Traitor!"
On the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Turks have close cultural and linguistic
ties with Azerbaijan, which is pressing Turkey for help in recovering
its land. Turkey shut its border with Armenia to protest the Armenian
invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1993.
Turkey wants Armenia to withdraw some troops from the enclave area to
show goodwill and speed the opening of their joint border, but Armenia
has yet to agree, said Omer Taspinar, Turkey project director at the
Brookings Institution in Washington.
"We may end up in a kind of awkward situation where there are
diplomatic relations, but the border is still closed," Taspinar said.
Associated Press Writers Alexander G. Higgins and Bradley S. Klapper in
Zurich, Avet Demourian in Yerevan, Armenia, and Christopher Torchia in
Istanbul contributed to this report.
By MATTHEW LEE (AP)
10 oct 09
ZURICH ' Turkey and Armenia have signed an accord to establish
diplomatic relations after a century of enmity, as U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton helped the two sides clear a last-minute
snag.
The Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers signed the agreement in the
Swiss city of Zurich on Saturday after a late dispute over the final
statements they would make.
Officials say Clinton and mediators from Switzerland intervened to help
broker a solution.
The accord is expected to win ratification from both nations'
parliaments and could lead to a reopening of their border that has been
closed for 16 years.
But nationalists on both sides are still seeking to derail
implementation of the deal.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further
information. AP's earlier story is below.
ZURICH (AP) ' U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plunged
into dramatic last-minute diplomacy on Saturday to salvage a historic
accord between Turkey and Armenia aimed at normalizing ties after a
century of enmity.
The deal was supposed to establish diplomatic relations to be signed by
the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers in the Swiss city of Zurich,
with Clinton among world dignitaries in attendance. But a dispute over
statements the ministers would make sparked a delay, forcing her
intervention.
"She's involved in working out an agreeable text," a senior U.S. State
Department official said.
American officials said Clinton; the top U.S. diplomat for Europe,
Philip Gordon; and Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey were
engaged in furious high-stakes shuttle diplomacy with the Turkish and
Armenian delegations to resolve the differences.
Diplomats said the Armenians were concerned about wording in the
Turkish statement that was to be made after the signing ceremony at
University of Zurich and had expressed those concerns "at the last
minute" before the scheduled signing ceremony.
Clinton had arrived at the ceremony venue after meeting separately with
the Turks and Armenians at a hotel, but abruptly departed without
leaving her car when the problem arose.
She returned to the hotel where she spoke by phone from the sedan in
the parking lot, three times with the Armenians and four times with the
Turks. At one point in the intervention, a Swiss police car, lights and
siren blazing, brought a Turkish diplomat to the hotel from the
university with a new draft of his country's statement.
After nearly two hours, Clinton and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian met in person at the hotel and drove back to the university
where negotiations continued. It was not clear if there would be a
resolution.
The Turks and Armenians are to sign an accord establishing diplomatic
ties in hope of reopening their border and ending a century of acrimony
over their bloody past.
Their parliaments are expected to ratify it, but nationalists on both
sides are seeking to derail implementation of the agreement. Major
countries, however, expressed their support for the accord, with the
foreign ministers of the United States, Russia, France and the European
Union in the room to watch the signing.
In Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country was
showing "goodwill" to restore ties with Armenia. But he said Turkey was
keen on seeing Armenian troops withdrawn from Nagorno-Karabakh, an
Armenian-occupied enclave in Azerbaijan that has been a center of
regional tensions.
"We are trying to boost our relations with Armenia in a way that will
cause no hard feelings for Azerbaijan," Erdogan told reporters.
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said his country was taking
"responsible decisions" in normalizing relations with Turkey, despite
what he called the unhealable wounds of genocide.
The agreement calls for a panel to discuss "the historical dimension"
of the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians during World War
I. The discussion is to include "an impartial scientific examination of
the historical records and archives to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations."
That clause is viewed as a concession to Turkey, which denies genocide,
contending the toll is inflated and that those killed were20victims of
civil war.
"There is no alternative to the establishment of the relations with
Turkey without any precondition," said Sarkisian. "It is the dictate of
the time."
Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French Foreign
Minister Bernard Kouchner were among the leaders who were on hand to
attend the signing, when it takes place.
Better ties between Turkey, a regional heavyweight, and poor,
landlocked Armenia are a priority for President Barack Obama. They
could help reduce tensions in the troubled Caucasus region and
facilitate its growing role as a corridor for energy supplies bound for
the West.
Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, thanked Turkey, which is
a candidate for EU membership.
"This is an important cooperation, no doubt, of Turkey to solve one
issue that pertains to a region which is in our neighborhood," Solana
told AP Television News after arriving in Zurich.
Switzerland, which mediated six weeks of talks between Turkey and
Armenia to reach the accord, is hosting the signing.
Necati Cetinkaya, a deputy chairman of Turkey's ruling Justice and
Development Party, defended the deal, saying "sincere steps that are
being taken will benefit Turkey." He said Turkey is aiming to form
friendly ties with all its neighbors and could benefit from trade with
Armenia.
But Yilmaz Ates of the main opposition Republican People's Party said
Turkey should avoid any con
cessions.
"If Armenia wants to repair relations ... then it should end occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh. That's it," Ates said Saturday.
About 10,000 protesters rallied Friday in Armenia's capital to oppose
the signing, and a tour of Armenian communities by Sarkisian sparked
protests in Lebanon and France, with demonstrators in Paris shouting
"Traitor!"
On the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Turks have close cultural and linguistic
ties with Azerbaijan, which is pressing Turkey for help in recovering
its land. Turkey shut its border with Armenia to protest the Armenian
invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1993.
Turkey wants Armenia to withdraw some troops from the enclave area to
show goodwill and speed the opening of their joint border, but Armenia
has yet to agree, said Omer Taspinar, Turkey project director at the
Brookings Institution in Washington.
"We may end up in a kind of awkward situation where there are
diplomatic relations, but the border is still closed," Taspinar said.
Associated Press Writers Alexander G. Higgins and Bradley S. Klapper in
Zurich, Avet Demourian in Yerevan, Armenia, and Christopher Torchia in
Istanbul contributed to this report.
CBS News
Clinton Helps Salvage Turkey-Armenia Pact
ZURICH, Oct. 10, 2009
Signing Ceremony for Accord Opposed by Hardliners Back on After Dispute
Over Statements; Clinton, Swiss Mediators Intervene
U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton engaged in last-minute
diplomacy on Saturday aimed at salvaging an accord to establish
diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia after a century of
enmity.
The agreement was supposed to be signed by the Turkish and Armenian
foreign ministers at a reception in the Swiss city of Zurich, with
Clinton among the world dignitaries in attendance. But
a dispute over the statements the countries would make sparked a delay,
and forced her to intervene.
"She's involved in working out an agreeable text," said a senior U.S.
State Department official. "She's talking with the Armenian foreign
minister, and she had a long talk with the Turkish foreign minister."
Clinton and the Armenian delegation arrived at the signing ceremony
about 90 minutes after it was supposed to begin. Clinton had abruptly
returned to her hotel just before the scheduled start as problems
emerged.
Diplomats said the Armenians were concerned about wording in the
Turkish statement that was to be made after the signing ceremony.
The Turks and Armenians are to sign an accord establishing diplomatic
ties in hope of reopening their border and ending a century of acrimony
over their bloody past.
Their parliaments are expected to ratify it, but nationalists on both
sides are seeking to derail implementation of the agreement.
Major countries, however, expressed their support for the accord, with
the foreign ministers of the United States, Russia, France and the
European Union in the room to watch the signing.
The contentious issue of whether the deaths of Armenians during the
final days of the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide is only hinted at
in the agreement, which calls for diplomatic ties for the first time
and the opening of the border within two months.
The agreement calls for a panel to discuss "the historical dimension"
of the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians during World War
I. The discussion is to include "an impartial scientific examination of
the historical records and archives to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations."
That clause is viewed as a concession to Turkey, because Armenia has
said that genocide was confirmed by international historians and
further discussion could lead to deadlock.
Turkey denies genocide, contending the toll is inflated and that those
killed were victims of civil war.
"There is no alternative to the establishment of the relations with
Turkey without any precondition," said Sarkisian. "It is the dictate of
the time."
Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French Foreign
Minister Bernard Kouchner were among the leaders who were on hand to
attend the signing, when it takes place.
Better ties between Turkey, a regional heavyweight, and poor,
landlocked Armenia are a priority for President Barack Obama. They
could help reduce tensions in the troubled Caucasus region and
facilitate its growing role as a corridor for energy supplies bound for
the West.
Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, thanked Turkey, which is
a candidate for EU membership.
"This is an important cooperation, no doubt, of Turkey to solve one
issue that pertains to a region which is in our neighborhood," Solana
told AP Television News after arriving in Zurich.
Switzerland, which mediated six weeks of talks between Turkey and
Armenia to reach the accord, is hosting the signing.
(CBS) Another source of dispute is Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave in
Azerbaijan that is occupied by Armenian troops. Turks have close
cultural and linguistic ties with Azerbaijan, which is pressing Turkey
for help in recovering its land. Turkey shut its border with Armenia to
protest the Armenian invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1993.
Turkey wants Armenia to withdraw some troops from the enclave area to
show goodwill and speed the opening of their joint border, but Armenia
has yet to agree, said Omer Taspinar, Turkey project director at the
Brookings Institution in Washington.
"We may end up in a kind of awkward situation where there are
diplomatic relations, but the border is still closed," Taspinar said.
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the
agreement doesn't directly involve the United States, noted that
President Barack Obama spoke to Armenian President Serge Sarkisian to
reaffirm his support for the normalization process.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was taking
steps with "goodwill" to restore ties with Armenia but that it was keen
on seeing Armenian troops withdrawn from Nagorno-Karabakh.
"We are trying to boost our relations with Armenia in a way that will
cause no hard feelings for Azerbaijan," Erdogan told reporters in
Turkey.
Erdogan said Turkey's relations with Armenia after the agreement is
signed Saturday will run parallel to the resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
RFE/RL REport
ZURICH, Oct. 10, 2009
Signing Ceremony for Accord Opposed by Hardliners Back on After Dispute
Over Statements; Clinton, Swiss Mediators Intervene
U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton engaged in last-minute
diplomacy on Saturday aimed at salvaging an accord to establish
diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia after a century of
enmity.
The agreement was supposed to be signed by the Turkish and Armenian
foreign ministers at a reception in the Swiss city of Zurich, with
Clinton among the world dignitaries in attendance. But
a dispute over the statements the countries would make sparked a delay,
and forced her to intervene.
"She's involved in working out an agreeable text," said a senior U.S.
State Department official. "She's talking with the Armenian foreign
minister, and she had a long talk with the Turkish foreign minister."
Clinton and the Armenian delegation arrived at the signing ceremony
about 90 minutes after it was supposed to begin. Clinton had abruptly
returned to her hotel just before the scheduled start as problems
emerged.
Diplomats said the Armenians were concerned about wording in the
Turkish statement that was to be made after the signing ceremony.
The Turks and Armenians are to sign an accord establishing diplomatic
ties in hope of reopening their border and ending a century of acrimony
over their bloody past.
Their parliaments are expected to ratify it, but nationalists on both
sides are seeking to derail implementation of the agreement.
Major countries, however, expressed their support for the accord, with
the foreign ministers of the United States, Russia, France and the
European Union in the room to watch the signing.
The contentious issue of whether the deaths of Armenians during the
final days of the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide is only hinted at
in the agreement, which calls for diplomatic ties for the first time
and the opening of the border within two months.
The agreement calls for a panel to discuss "the historical dimension"
of the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians during World War
I. The discussion is to include "an impartial scientific examination of
the historical records and archives to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations."
That clause is viewed as a concession to Turkey, because Armenia has
said that genocide was confirmed by international historians and
further discussion could lead to deadlock.
Turkey denies genocide, contending the toll is inflated and that those
killed were victims of civil war.
"There is no alternative to the establishment of the relations with
Turkey without any precondition," said Sarkisian. "It is the dictate of
the time."
Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French Foreign
Minister Bernard Kouchner were among the leaders who were on hand to
attend the signing, when it takes place.
Better ties between Turkey, a regional heavyweight, and poor,
landlocked Armenia are a priority for President Barack Obama. They
could help reduce tensions in the troubled Caucasus region and
facilitate its growing role as a corridor for energy supplies bound for
the West.
Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, thanked Turkey, which is
a candidate for EU membership.
"This is an important cooperation, no doubt, of Turkey to solve one
issue that pertains to a region which is in our neighborhood," Solana
told AP Television News after arriving in Zurich.
Switzerland, which mediated six weeks of talks between Turkey and
Armenia to reach the accord, is hosting the signing.
(CBS) Another source of dispute is Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave in
Azerbaijan that is occupied by Armenian troops. Turks have close
cultural and linguistic ties with Azerbaijan, which is pressing Turkey
for help in recovering its land. Turkey shut its border with Armenia to
protest the Armenian invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1993.
Turkey wants Armenia to withdraw some troops from the enclave area to
show goodwill and speed the opening of their joint border, but Armenia
has yet to agree, said Omer Taspinar, Turkey project director at the
Brookings Institution in Washington.
"We may end up in a kind of awkward situation where there are
diplomatic relations, but the border is still closed," Taspinar said.
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the
agreement doesn't directly involve the United States, noted that
President Barack Obama spoke to Armenian President Serge Sarkisian to
reaffirm his support for the normalization process.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was taking
steps with "goodwill" to restore ties with Armenia but that it was keen
on seeing Armenian troops withdrawn from Nagorno-Karabakh.
"We are trying to boost our relations with Armenia in a way that will
cause no hard feelings for Azerbaijan," Erdogan told reporters in
Turkey.
Erdogan said Turkey's relations with Armenia after the agreement is
signed Saturday will run parallel to the resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
RFE/RL REport
Turkish-Armenian Accords Signed After Last-Minute Snag
Switzerland -- Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (2ndR) and
Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandiana (2nd L) shake hands as
they hold signed documents after a signing ceremony in front of (L to
R) European Union foreign affairs chief Javier Sol
11.10.2009
Harry Tamrazian
Armenia and Turkey signed landmark agreements paving the way for the
normalization of their relations late on Saturday after a last-minute
dispute that threatened to derail their unprecedented rapprochement
welcomed by the international community.
The signing ceremony held in Zurich, Switzerland was delayed by more
than three hours, with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian
apparently objecting to a statement that was due to be read out by his
Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu. The content of that statement was
not immediately known.
Switzerland -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leaves as she
speaks with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian (R) after a
signing ceremony of protocols between Turkey and Armenia was delayed,
Switzerland -- Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (2ndR) and
Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandiana (2nd L) shake hands as
they hold signed documents after a signing ceremony in front of (L to
R) European Union foreign affairs chief Javier Sol
11.10.2009
Harry Tamrazian
Armenia and Turkey signed landmark agreements paving the way for the
normalization of their relations late on Saturday after a last-minute
dispute that threatened to derail their unprecedented rapprochement
welcomed by the international community.
The signing ceremony held in Zurich, Switzerland was delayed by more
than three hours, with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian
apparently objecting to a statement that was due to be read out by his
Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu. The content of that statement was
not immediately known.
Switzerland -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leaves as she
speaks with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian (R) after a
signing ceremony of protocols between Turkey and Armenia was delayed,
10Oct2009
In the event, neither minister made any statements after sealing the
two Turkish-Armenian protocols in what appeared to be a compromise
arranged by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She and
Nalbandian arrived at the University of Zurich, the ceremony venue, in
the same car.
The Armenian minister looked stern as he put pen to paper and shook
hands with a smiling Davutoglu in the presence of Clinton, the foreign
ministers of Switzerland, Russia and France as well as the European
Union's foreign and security policy chief Javier Solana. Their
attendance underscored the strong support for the Turkish-Armenian
rapprochement shown by the world's leading powers.
The signed protocols envisage the establishment of diplomatic
relations and reopening of the border between Armenia and Turkey
within two months of their entry into force. The documents need to be
ratified by the parliaments of the two neighboring states.
Speaking to journalists in Istanbul earlier on Saturday, Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave fresh indications that his
government will not rush to reopen the border before a resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that would satisfy Azerbaijan. `We are
in favor of developing relations with Armenia by protecting our good
intentions and in a way that will not hurt Azerbaijan,' he said,
according to `Hurriyet Daily News.'
In a televised address to the nation aired hours before the signing
ceremony, President Serzh Sarkisian warned Ankara against `dragging
out' the ratification process. `If Turkey does not ratify the
protocols within a reasonable time frame and fails to fulfill all of
their provisions within the defined period or breaches them in the
future, Armenia will not hesitate to take adequate steps corresponding
to international law,' he said without elaborating.
Sarkisian also defended his conciliatory line on Turkey, insisting
that it has not split the Armenian people or driven a wedge between
Armenia and its worldwide Diaspora despite his critics' claims to the
contrary. He again sought to disprove, line by line, their main
arguments against that policy and, in particular, their claims that it
has dealt a massive blow to efforts at greater international
recognition of the Armenian genocide.
`The genocide wound does not heal,' said Sarkisian. `The memory of our
martyrs and the future of our generations require having a stable and
firm statehood, a powerful and prosperous country, a homeland that
embodies the dreams of all Armenians. We consider the establishment of
normal relations with all neighbors, including Turkey, one of the
important steps on that path.'
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