Presidents of Armenia and Turkey Go in Large Political Risk: OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairman
The Presidents of Armenia, Serj Sarkisyan and Turkey, Abdullah Gul, went to large political risk and displayed bravery, said the American Co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh Settlement, Matthew Bryza, commenting Gul's recent visit to Yerevan and Turkey's initiative to establish Platform of Stability and Security in Caucasus, Novosti Armenia reports.
According to him, the
initiative of Turkey is very constructive. "I
welcome improvement in the relations between Armenia and Turkey," said Bryza.
The President of Turkey, Abdullah
Gyul, arrived in Yerevan at the invitation of the Armenian President, Serj
Sarkisyan, to watch the match between the football teams of the two countries.
During the visit, the State Heads discussed the possibilities of establishing
bilateral relations
Diplomatic relations are absent between Armenia and Turkey, and the Armenian-Turkish border has been closed since 1993.
Turkey makes a number of pre-conditions for
establishing bilateral relations, in particular Armenia's giving up the policy
of international recognition of "genocide" of the Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire during the years of the First World War, Armenia's recognition of
borders of Turkey.
American Co-chairman of the OSCE emphasized that it needs to complete the work
on the base principles of conflict solution, despite that the relations between
Armenia and Turkey change.
"This is good that the relations between Armenia and Turkey are improved because, in my view, such openness improves the climate and means that Armenia can be more opened in the negotiations. Maybe I make a mistakes, but I hope for this," said Bryza.
