Signing of Protocols between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey will take place in Zurich October 10, Switzerland, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs informs. The official press release dated October 9 reads:

“A ceremony to mark the signing of the Protocols between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey will take place tomorrow in Zurich. Armenia’s Foreign Minister, Edouard Nalbandian, and Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, will sign the Protocols in the presence of Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey. The signing ceremony will also be attended by US Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, the Slovenian Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Samuel Zbogar, and the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, Javier Solana. The signing is the culmination of a mediation process on the part of Switzerland initiated at the request of the parties.

Switzerland has acted as mediator in the process to normalise bilateral relations between Armenia and Turkey for over a year. This mediation was conducted at the request of the two parties as part of Switzerland’s good offices. On 31 August 2009, the two parties agreed to launch internal political consultations culminating in the signing of the two Protocols. In agreement with the parties, Switzerland will host the ceremony tomorrow, 10 October 2009, in Zurich.”