ANKARA: Turkish minister, US official discuss Armenian issues

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Feb 6 2010

Turkish minister, US official discuss Armenian issues

Munich, 6 February: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu,
currently attending 46th Munich Security Conference, continues his
busy diplomacy traffic.

Davutoglu met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) new
Director-General Yukiya Amano and gave him information about Iran’s
nuclear file as he took over the office newly.

Davutoglu also briefed Amano about his talks in Tabriz and expressed
readiness to extend support to him.

Turkish delegation took some technical information about Iran’s
nuclear file and Amano appreciated Turkey’s efforts in this respect.

Referring to Iran’s intransigent stance in the past, the Turkish
delegation said Iran’s signals for negotiation was a very important
development.

Davutoglu also met US President Barack Obama’s National Security
Adviser James Jones for a second time.

Davutoglu later met with the deputy secretary of state, James B.
Steinberg. The US executive gave Davutoglu information about his
meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Referring to the Armenian resolution expected to be discussed at the
US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Davutoglu said
this would have a negative impact on the efforts carried out by Turkey
on the Middle East and would harm this process.

It was reported that Davutoglu may have a meeting with Foreign
Minister Miguel Moratinos of EU rotating president Spain.

Davutoglu and Moratinos are expected to discuss the summit that would
take place between Turkey and Spain in Madrid this month. Also, three
or four chapter headings within the scope of EU membership talks may
be discussed.

Davutoglu is also expected to meet NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh
Rasmussen, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Richard
Holbrooke, US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan,
later in the day.

Davutoglu will also take the floor at a panel discussion titled
"Security and stability in the Middle East" which will be organized
within the scope of the conference.