Commenting on the Aug. 31 statement on a “start of internal political consultations” made under Swiss mediation, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that opening of the border with Armenia is out of question for Turkey now.

“Turkey aims to keep best relations with its neighbors and establish stability and peace in the Caucasus,” Davudoglu told NTV, Monday. He also pointed out that: “A longer process is required for that.”

Turkish Foreign Minister assured that Ankara would “guard” Azerbaijan’s interests at every step of normalization of relations with Armenia.

Ankara has closed Armenian Border in 1993. Turkey is imposing a number of conditions for normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations. Among them are Armenia’s reversal of its policy on international recognition of Armenian Genocide, and unilateral concessions in Karabakh issue resolution.

As NEWS.am informed earlier, late on August 31, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Turkey issued a press releases which says: “The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey have agreed to start their internal political consultations on two protocols – the ‘Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations’ and the ‘Protocol on the development of bilateral relations’ – which have been initiated in the course of their efforts under Swiss mediation.

The two Protocols provide for a framework for the normalization of their bilateral relations within a reasonable timeframe. The political consultations will be completed within six weeks, following which the two Protocols will be signed and submitted to the respective Parliaments for the ratification on each side. Both sides will make their best efforts for the timely progression of the ratification in line with their constitutional and legal procedures.

The normalization of bilateral relations will contribute to the regional peace and stability. The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey are committed are pursuing their joint efforts with the assistance of Switzerland,” the document reads.