YEREVAN (Armenpress)–President Serzh Sarkisian met Monday with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s special representative to Nagorno-Karabakh Goran Lenmarker for discussions on the prospects of normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia.
According to Sarkisian’s press office, the president and Lenmarker also discussed the ongoing crisis in the Georgia and the settlement of the yet unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Sarkisian reiterated Armenia’s position that the use of force to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has no prospect for success. The international community must respond appropriately to the mounting military rhetoric coming from %u218certain countries’ in the region, Sarkisian stressed.
According to Lenmarker, the recent developmen’s in the region have shown that conflicts cannot be solved militarily. A real solution to the frozen conflicts in the south Caucasus may be found only through negotiations, he said.
Lenmarker praised Armenia’s policy in the region and Sarkisian’s weekend meeting with Gul in particular. “No doubt it was not an easy decision,” he said referring to Sarkisian’s invitation for Gul to come to Armenia to watch the World Cup qualifier match between their two nations. “Taking into consideration the issues existing between Armenia and Turkey, you have made a powerful step.”
Sarkisian explained that it was Armenia’s policy to solve all international and regional issues through negotiations. “I do not have illusions that all the issues will be resolved in short period of time but I consider it right to start the process.”
Lenmarker also met Monday with Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. Echoing Sarkisian’s statemen’s, Nalbandian stressed that peaceful negotiations were the only way to find a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Armenia has always supported dialogue as the means to solve problems, he said, adding that Armenia’s foreign policy seeks stability, security and cooperation in the Caucasian region.
Nalbandian Sunday met with the European Union’s special representative to the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, for talks centered on the Nagrono-Karabakh conflict and Turkish-Armenian relations.
Nalbandian briefed Semneby on his meetings with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, who accompanies Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Armenia on Saturday. Nablandian also spoke about Sarkisian’s meetings with Gul ahead of the soccer match between their two country’s teams.
According to Nalbandian, Armenia is ready to continue undertaking steps toward the normalization of relations with Turkey. Diplomatic relations between the two countries will contribute to the stability, security and cooperation of the region, he said.
Semneby praised Armenia’s initiative in normalizing relations with Turkey, and noted that the EU is ready to support any initiative that will result in an end to Turkey’s embargo against Armenia.