U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern said Armenia-Turkey reconciliation is one of their top priorities.

“We were pushing hard for Turkey to open the border, and the protocols were designed for this purpose,” the diplomat said in an interview with the Voice of America Armenian service.

He emphasized that the protocols “were not  linked to any other issue” describing signing of the documents as “very courageous decision”.

It is five years since the protocols were signed, and the U.S. government is hopeful that Turkey will find a way to ratify and implement the protocols, he added.

Asked whether the U.S. government can influence Turkish leadership on accepting an invitation of Serzh Sargsyan to visit Armenia on the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, Ambassador said “Turkey will make its own decision”. 

He believes Prime Minister Erodgan’s statement was a step forward, although “Armenians strongly feel that more needs to be done”.

“We continue to try to be helpful any way we can,” Ambassador emphasized.