BERLIN (Combined Sources)—Turkey should stop imposing artificial preconditions to delay the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey and ratify agreements signed between Yerevan and Ankara last October, said Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian on Monday.
Nalbandian made the remark during a joint press conference with his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle. According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, the two diplomats had met earlier in the day to discuss the current state of the Armenia-Turkey normalization process.
“If Turkey wants this process to continue and be successful, it should stop talking about preconditions and artificially delaying the process and should ratify the protocols,” said Nalbandian.
“Armenia is ready to advance the process that we initiated and the same is expected of Turkey,” he added.
Westerwelle, for his part, welcomed Armenia’s efforts to normalize ties with its neighbor and assured Nalbandian that “Germany welcomes and supports all the efforts that will lead to the establishment of normal relations between Armenia and Turkey and opening of the border.”
According to Armenian Public Radio, Westerwelle also hailed the “high-level of political dialogue” between Armenia and Germany, praising, particularly the “firm business ties, and cooperation in the cultural and educational spheres.”
While in Germany, Nablandian also addressed the German Council on Foreign Relations, and independent, non-profit think tank on German foreign policy.
Speaking to the Council, Nalbandian sought to dispel Turkey’s warnings that international genocide recognition would torpedo Armenian-Turkish normalization efforts. “Turkey’s statements that the adoption of the Armenian genocide resolution by the US House of Representatives and Swedish parliament may obstruct the normalization of Armenian-Turkish ties are a veil,” he explained.
“In fact Turkey tries hard to set preconditions, to frustrate the [normalization of] ties,” said Nalbandian adding that he hoped Turkey would “finally acknowledge the consequences of its activities and would not disappoint the international community.”