US PRODS ARMENIA; CLINTON TO ATTEND PROTOCOLS SIGNING
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Sep 28, 2009
NEW YORK -Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday pressed
Armenia and Turkey to follow through on their commitment to normalize
relations after decades of hostility.
In separate meetings on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly,
Clinton told the foreign ministers of the two countries that they
should proceed apace and not get bogged down by political opposition
to a deal, which they hope to seal by mid-October.
Normalization "should take place without preconditions and within
a reasonable timeframe," Clinton said as she met Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian. She later delivered a similar message to
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, U.S. officials said.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Sunday that
Turkey and Armenia would sign a deal to establish diplomatic ties on
Oct. 10.
The Swiss NZZ online reported Monday that Clinton is scheduled to
attend the signing ceremony of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols scheduled
for October 10 in Zurich.
She has yet to official confirm her participation at the event,
however, the reservation at the hotel has already been made, the
paper said, adding that the Armenian and Turkish Foreign Ministers
are also set to arrive in Switzerland the same day.
Before the agreements can take effect, they must be approved by the
countries’ parliaments.
The top U.S. diplomat for Europe, Philip Gordon, said the United
States was eager for the deal, which also foresees the reopening of
the Turkish-Armenian border, and was anxious that it happen quickly.
"This is a difficult process that faces some political opposition in
both places and it’s hard for both governments," he told reporters
after Clinton’s meetings. "It shouldn’t wait for other things to get
done, or be linked to other things. It should go ahead."
Gordon also said the United States supported what has become known as
"soccer diplomacy" between the two countries and would like to see
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian visit Turkey for an Oct. 14 World
Cup qualifier between Turkey and Armenia.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul attended a World Cup qualifier in
Armenia last year in what was hailed as a breakthrough but Sarkisian
has said he’ll only go to the game in Turkey if there’s progress
toward opening the border.
Gordon said Sarkisian should attend the match regardless. "It would be
a good sign and further evidence of the two countries coming together
if he went to the football match."