ERDOGAN TELLS WSJ READY TO SIGN PROTOCOLS, REGARDLESS OF MOLDOVA OUTCOME
Asbarez
/erdogan-tells-wsj-ready-to-sign-protocols-despite -moldova-outcome/
Oct 6, 2009
ANKARA (WSJ)-The Wall Street Journal Tuesday afternoon reported that
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview
that the signing of the Armenia-Turkey protocols was not dependent on
progress of talks to be held Thursday in Moldova between the Armenian
and Azeri presidents.
"The agreement will be signed on Oct. 10. It doesn’t have anything
to do with what happens in Moldova," Erdogan told the Wall Street
Journal Sunday.
Erdogan also said the two processes – a resolution of the Karabakh
conflict and rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia – remain linked,
and that a positive outcome in Moldova would help overall. Turkish
officials have continued to indicate the border could take longer to
open than the three months set out in the three-page protocol.
The Turkish leader said the only obstacle to signing the deal on
Saturday would come if Armenia seeks to alter the text. "This is
perhaps the most important point – that Armenia should not allow its
policies to be taken hostage by the Armenian diaspora," Mr. Erdogan
said. Much of Armenia’s large diaspora opposes the protocol.
A spokesman for Armenia President Serzh Sarkisian declined to comment
on whether Armenia would seek changes to the protocol. He said the
government would make a statement on "steps" concerning the protocol
soon.
Visit for the complete article.