Azernews.Az

BERN – Switzerland that is considered the architect of year-long confidential talks between Turkey and Armenia on normalizing their strained relations and a mediator in the fence-mending process has again become involved in the reconciliation efforts.

Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey announced that her country had launched intense talks with both sides in an effort to break the ice in the frozen process to reconcile the two estranged neighbors, Armenian reports said.

Calmy-Rey, who met with Armenian Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan in Bern Thursday, said Switzerland was keen on fostering a turning point in the fence-mending process.

Armenia and Turkey have been at odds for decades. In a bid to end the long-standing hostility, the two governments signed protocols in October 2009 to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders. However, the documents require parliamentary approval, and Ankara has ruled out normalization with Yerevan until the conflict between Armenia, which occupies part of Azerbaijani territory, and Azerbaijan, Turkey’s ally, has been resolved.

This April, Yerevan suspended parliamentary approval of the deals.