If Armenia wants its borders to be disclosed, it must withdrew its troops from Azerbaijan’s occupied territories, leader of the Turkish Grand Unity Party, Yalchin Topchu, said after the discussions with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davudoglu, on the Turkey-Armenia protocol reached by the mediation of Switzerland, Turkish Cihan news agency reported.
“If Armenia regards seriously the opening of the borders, it should withdraw its troops from the occupied [Nagorno-] Karabakh,” Topchu said.
According to the leader, there was no need to sign the Ankara-Yerevan Protocol in Switzerland.
On Aug. 31, Turkey and Armenia in the talks mediated by Switzerland reached an agreement to launch “internal political consultations” to sign the Protocol on Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and Protocol on Development of Bilateral Relations, the Turkish Foreign Ministry reported.
Political consultations will be completed within six weeks, and following that two protocols will be signed and submitted to the two countries’ parliaments for approval. At present Turkey does not plan to open the borders with Armenia, Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davudoglu, said.
Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.
The Turkish Foreign Ministrer appealed to hold a meeting to discuss the Turkey-Armenia protocol reached by the mediation of Switzerland in the Turkish Parliament. Davudoglu said that he will meet with the leaders of the country’s opposition leaders to discuss the Ankara-Yerevan protocol.
Deniz Baykal, Turkish Opposition Leader, demanded to include the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in the Ankara-Yerevan protocol signed in August.
Devlet Bahcheli, Leader of other opposition party “National movement”, refused to meet with Davudoglu.
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