At his meeting with Turkish intellectuals in Great Britain, as well as on his way back to Ankara, Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu mainly spoke of the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation. He stated that a relevant agreement will be reached in a few months or even weeks, Can Dündar writes in an article published by Milliyet (Turkey).

During a conference on foreign policy at the University of Oxford, the Turkish FM had breakfast with the well-known Turkish professors Baskin Oran, Şevket Pamuk Baskın Oran, Şahin Alpay, Cengiz Aktar. He mainly spoke of the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation. The Turkish FM listened to the intellectuals’ proposals for changing the names of some avenues, setting up a monument on the border, taking measures against those sowing hostility, as well as for not focusing on Baku in normalizing relations with Armenia.

Ankara disregards Yerevan’s decision to suspend the ratification process. Davutoglu pointed out that the protocols are not dead, and Turkey will not allow them to die. No one has ever said Turkey is withdrawing the protocols. A turning wheel is difficult to turn back, and the developments will never “turn back,” Davutoglu said. However, establishing relations with Armenia without considering Azerbaijan is out of the question. “Minor repairs” are of no benefit. If an armed conflict breaks out in Nagorno-Karabakh, the borders supposed to be opened may remain closed, the Turkish FM said. Talks over the withdrawal of Armenian troops from some regions are still under way. If Armenia withdraws its troops from there, the Turkish society will overcome a psychological barrier, and the borders can be reopened. Both Yerevan and Ankara will benefit from that, said Davutoglu.

As regard the Armenian-Turkish protocols, he said that it is a “silent stage” now. The Turkish side’s proposals will soon receive an approval – within months or even weeks, the Turkish FM said.

T.P.