ANKARA (AA) - The United States welcomes Turkey`s recent proposals regarding so-called Armenian genocide allegations and a possible meeting between Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Armenian President Robert Kocharian.
U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary for European & Eurasian Affairs Laura Kennedy, who is currently in Turkey, informed reporters about her meetings with Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan, Deputy Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan and National Security Council Secretary General Yigit Alpogan on Tuesday.
Kennedy said that the United States welcomes positive assessment of Turkey about Kocharian`s letter which was sent to Turkey as a reply to Erdogan`s letter. She added that there is a strategical interest in normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations.
Kennedy noted that the United States considered exchange of letters between Erdogan and Kocharian a promising development and they are expecting this exchange to continue. She said that the United States will welcome meeting of Erdogan and Kocharian during Council of Europe summit in Warsaw.
Upon a question regarding Armenia`s not recognizing Turkey borders, Kennedy said that they have never heard such a statement from Armenian officials so far.
When recalled of Erdogan`s proposal to establish a commission of historians and Kocharian`s proposal to establish an intergovernmental commission to research so-called Armenian genocide, Kennedy said that a consensus can be provided regarding these two different views.
After Turkey, Kennedy will visit Greece, Cyprus, Britain and Brussels. She said that firstly Greek Cypriot side should convey its concerns to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to start a new tour of talks for solution of Cyprus question.
She added that the United States supports Annan`s goodwill mission. Annan should see the necessary political will in both sides to resume the talks, noted Kennedy.
Kennedy said that Annan wants to know about concerns of Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. Annan wants to learn about those concerns, and they wanted to encourage Papadopoulos for solution within that scope, added Kennedy.
Upon a question, Kennedy said that they have not decided yet whether to start direct flights from the United States to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), adding that the United States exerts the most effort for lifting of isolation over TRNC.
(GC-MS)
2005-05-03