Turkiye: Ankara planning to open border with Armenia

November 29, 2013 - 12:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Ankara is planning to open the border with Armenia, Turkiye daily suggests.

According to the paper, Turkey plans to demine 4 million square meters out of 11,6 million at the border with Armenia. For that purpose, a necessary sum of Euro 52,4 million will be provided by the EU (75%) and Turkish Ministry of Defense (25%). The project also envisages provision of new equipment to border posts.

As Sabah reported earlier, “Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s remarks on some creative ideas Turkey suggested to normalize relations with Armenia are gaining a new meaning.”

“Following talks with Putin and Obama, Ankara is readying a roadmap to establish peace in South Caucasus,” the daily said.

According to Sabah, “Yerevan already pledged to “cede 2 liberated regions to Azerbaijan,” however Ankara demanded a written statement confirming the move.

“Should Armenia announce its decision, Davutoglu will visit Yerevan December 12,” the daily said.

But wait, there’s more: it turns out that Armenian forces will “cede 2 out of 7 Karabakh-adjacent regions in exchange for normalizing ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey.” The daily, however, failed to specify what was meant by “normalizing.”

Related links:

http://turkiyegazetesi.com.tr

Turkey reportedly seeks Switzerland’s support in Karabakh issue

The Armenian-Turkish Protocols

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

Commenting on the CC ruling, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “it contains preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols.” ”The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same allegiance from the Armenian government,” the Ministry said.