Turkey-Armenia rapprochement ‘could last up to 20 years’
The Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn
Jagland has said a rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia, the
two neighbors that face decades of hostility, "could last five to
ten, or even twenty years."
"I don’t know whether or not the protocols signed by Turkey and Armenia will be passed in the two countries’ parliaments," Jagland told
CNN Turk TV channel in Turkey.
"There are political hurdles standing in the way. But the first step has been taken, and I am confident that this won’t be the last one," Jagland said.
Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993. Armenia's occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan, Turkey’s ally, and Yerevan’s claims on the 1915 genocide have been obstacles to normal relations between the two countries. On October 10, 2009, the two governments signed two protocols to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders, in a bid to normalize their strained relations. However, the documents require parliamentary ratification, and Ankara has ruled out normalization with Yerevan until progress is made in resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict.*
"I don’t know whether or not the protocols signed by Turkey and Armenia will be passed in the two countries’ parliaments," Jagland told
CNN Turk TV channel in Turkey.
"There are political hurdles standing in the way. But the first step has been taken, and I am confident that this won’t be the last one," Jagland said.
Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993. Armenia's occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan, Turkey’s ally, and Yerevan’s claims on the 1915 genocide have been obstacles to normal relations between the two countries. On October 10, 2009, the two governments signed two protocols to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders, in a bid to normalize their strained relations. However, the documents require parliamentary ratification, and Ankara has ruled out normalization with Yerevan until progress is made in resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict.*
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