Turkey does not set forth Karabakh issue as a precondition to Armenia-Turkey normalization, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated at Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.

His speech was focused on Iran’s nuclear program and Armenia-Turkey reconciliation, Turkish Vatan e-source reports. “To have the Protocols ratified by both Parliaments, political and psychological atmosphere is to be ensured in Armenia and Turkey. We need tolerantly pave the way with our Armenian counterparts. If we succeed, the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict will incite the process as well. Turkey does not lay down Karabakh issue as a precondition, though we know that conflicts in Caucasus, Middle East and Balkans are interrelated. We are optimistic and work over yielding positive results. We are ready to achieve reconciliation both at state level and mend fences with Armenian Diaspora worldwide. We are ready to give ear to our Armenian friends on our history,” Davutoglu said.

Meanwhile, Turkish Habergazete newspaper draws attention to the fact that Turkish Government tells Turkish people one thing on the Protocols and another-to the U.S. officials. Particularly, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly stated that Turkey-Armenia border will not open without Karabakh conflict settlement, while Turkish FM said in Washington that Turkey refused to set Karabakh issue as a precondition to the normalization.

L.A.