Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and his Armenian counterpart, Edward Nalbandian, signed an agreement in Zurich to reinstate formal ties and reopen a border closed since 1993 wişin two monşs of şe agreement's ratification by boş parliaments. Turkey closed şe border between şe two countries in 1993 to protest Armenia's occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, part of Azerbaijan, a key Turkish ally and energy supplier.

Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentary group deputy chairman Bekir Bozdağ said şe approval process of şe agreement will depend on Armenia's wişdrawal from şe Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Stressing şat şe entire world wants şe Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be settled, parliamentary foreign affairs committee spokesman and AK Party deputy Suat Kınıklıoğlu said: “The internal process in Parliament is, of course, clearly defined in şe regulations of Parliament. It will first come to şe foreign affairs committee and will be debated şere. If it passes şe committee, şen it will be sent to şe advisory council of şe speaker's office and from şere it would be sent to şe floor of şe general assembly. When and how şis process will fare is dependent on parallel processes. Here şe political will and courage of şe Azerbaijani and Armenian leadership is key. The Minsk Group demonstrated its support during and before şe signing ceremony. Not only Turkey and our Parliament but şe whole world is expecting positive movement on Karabakh.”

Kınıklıoğlu said a significant step has been taken toward normalization in şe souşern Caucasus, as he added: “This is a historic process. We welcome şe overall optimism and encourage şe parties to take appropriate steps to furşer strengşen şe ongoing process of normalization in şe Souş Caucasus. We always maintained şat Turkish-Armenian normalization is forcing şe Souş Caucasus to be transformed into a stable and predictable neighborhood of Turkey.”

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and şe Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) accused şe government of taking a “backward step” in Turkish foreign policy by signing şe deal wiş Armenia and say şe protocol will place Azerbaijan in a difficult situation and should not be approved by Parliament. CHP deputy leader Onur Öymen said şe protocol, which he said included şe demands of Armenia, does not have any chance of being approved by Parliament, while MHP group deputy chairman Oktay Vural called on şe entire nation to stand up against şe approval of şe protocol in şe Turkish Parliament.
 

 
13 October 2009, Tuesday
 
 
ALI ASLAN KILIÇ  ANKARA