Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has openly admitted that the unsettled Nagorno-Karabakh conflict accounts for the failed Armenian-Turkish reconciliation, Naira Zohrabyan, a member of the Armenian delegation to the CE Parliamentary Assembly, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

"I asked him the following question: `Under Azerbaijan`s overt pressure your country caused the reconciliation process to reach stalemate. What are your guarantees that, as chair of the Ministers` Council, Turkey will not follow the principle different than the European ones or disregard modern values?` He did not give a clear answer, but said that, in signing the protocols, Turkey was pursuing three goals, namely, reopening of border, historical reconciliation and settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Zohrabyan said. In his speech the Turkish FM pointed out that 20% of Azerbaijan`s territory are occupied. "He admitted that preconditions were actually a `starting point` for Turkey," Zohrabyan said.

Last November Turkey took over the chairmanship of the CE Ministers` Committee.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reminds readers that Armenia and Turkey attempted to normalize relations in autumn 2009. However, official Yerevan has to suspend the process because of Turkey linking reconciliation to settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Armenian-Turkish protocols were signed in Zurich, Oct. 10, 2009.