Turkey to advance Azeri interests in Armenia talks, says Erdogan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey will advance Azerbaijan's interests within the format of its negotiations with Armenia for normal relations and open borders, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a televised address to the nation.



"I believe that this process will end up with a happy ending for Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia and this issue, which had become gangrenous, will be removed from history," he said.



"To this end, we will preserve our priorities and indispensability, and continue our peaceful and friendly steps," he added.



Turkey and Armenia agreed on August 31 to launch internal political consultations over two protocols, which will guide the normalization of their relations. The consultations were scheduled to be completed within six weeks and will be followed with ratification of the documents within the Turkish and Armenian parliaments.



Erdogan described the protocols, which require Armenia to agree to a series of Turkish preconditions on the Armenian Genocide and borders, "were a signal to resolve problems," the Anatolian News Agency said.



"These protocols will take effect after the Turkish parliament ratifies it," he said. "We will continue our talks to settle problems between the two countries and bring our relations to a neighborly course."



Erdogan said that Turkey was refreshing and changing its relations with the world, adding that Turkey would continue talks with Armenia to settle problems.