Turkey to seek Armenian backing for its OSCE chief nominee
ANKARA – Turkey will reportedly seek support from Armenia, with which it has no diplomatic ties, for its candidate to the OSCE secretary-general’s post, according to President Abdullah Gul’s letter to his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan.
The letter will be submitted to the Armenian president in March by Ambassador Ersin Ercin, Ankara’s nominee for the position, Turkey’s Haberturk news portal said.
Turkey and Armenia have been at odds for decades due to Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territory and Armenian claims on a 1915 "genocide". In late 2009, the two governments signed agreements to establish diplomatic relations. However, Turkey has assured Azerbaijan, its ally, that the protocols will not be ratified until progress is made in resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. In response, Yerevan suspended parliamentary approval of the accords in April 2010.
Commenting on Turkey’s attempt to gain support from Armenia amid a deadlock in the reconciliation process, Ercin said the Turkish president’s letter should be seen as "a gesture of goodwill".
The diplomat said he would be heading to Armenia as President Gul’s personal envoy.
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