Turkish FM says sees positive signs of breakthrough in Nagorno-Karabakh
Baku, June 3 (AZERTAC). Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said he sees positive signs of a breakthrough in a dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, welcoming Azerbaijan`s “determined and optimistic” position on the conflict, todays`zaman reported.
Davutoğlu told reporters in Rome, where he was to participate in the 150th anniversary of Italy`s unification, that he had a chance to greet Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan on a bus in which both were returning from the ceremony but said he had spent more time with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, with whom he had an opportunity to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in some detail.
The foreign minister pinned his hope on the leaders` meeting in Kazan next month as part of the two presidents` ongoing peace talks to find an enduring solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has remained in limbo for over 20 years and is a major threat to regional peace in the South Caucasus. Davutoğlu said he had a chance to discuss peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the latest developments surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh during his meeting with Aliyev.
“Signs [of a breakthrough] are positive. Statements made by the G-8 and [the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group] co-chairs are set to expedite the [peace] process. Let`s wait for the results of the Kazan meeting. We hope to see some positive steps,” Davutoğlu said after having talks with Aliyev in Rome on Thursday. “I was happy to observe both the determination and the more optimistic point of view of Mr. Aliyev,” Davutoğlu stressed.
Davutoğlu also had numerous brief bilateral talks with state dignitaries on the margins of the ceremony in Rome. He had talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Slovenian President Danilo Turk, and the foreign ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Britain, India and Sweden. “Despite it being short, it was a productive trip,” Davutoğlu added.
Noting that he had discussed regional issues in his talks, Davutoğlu claimed states feel the necessity to hear Turkey`s opinion as “history flows around Turkey today.” He said he had an opportunity to comprehensively discuss developments, particularly those in the Middle East.
Speaking about the situation in Syria, Davutoğlu said Turkey is in constant contact with Syria, welcoming Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s move on Wednesday to pardon political prisoners.
Davutoğlu joined leaders from some 80 countries on Thursday to review a military parade near the Colosseum.
June 2 marks the birth of modern Italy on a peninsula where city-states and popes fought wars and thwarted unity for centuries. This year`s 150th anniversary saw Italians pour into the capital from the north and the south.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, US Vice President Joe Biden, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez all paid a visit to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.
Turkish President Abdullah Gül was also invited to the ceremony but had to cancel his trip at the last minute because of illness. Davutoğlu represented Turkey in Rome.
The center of Rome was locked down for a military parade watched by the leaders and dozens of others, including representatives from countries with large Italian immigrant populations such as Australia and Canada.
Davutoğlu said it was an honor for him to attend the ceremony in a country such as Italy, a friend of Turkey.
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