In a recent development, former Foreign Minister of Turkey and current head of the Turkish delegation to NATO, Mevlut Cavusoglu, revealed to an APA correspondent in Turkey that multiple European nations, excluding France, are actively attempting to hinder the ongoing peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Cavusoglu expressed his belief in Azerbaijan’s genuine intent to achieve peace during this sensitive diplomatic period. He further anticipated that Armenia is on the brink of signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, provided there is an absence of external interference and pressure.
The Turkish diplomat further elaborated on Turkey’s role in the ongoing situation. He stated, “Turkey continues the process of settlement by agreeing with Azerbaijan. Every positive step between Azerbaijan and Armenia will have a positive effect on the process between Turkey and Armenia.” He also emphasized the significance of Georgia in the regional dynamics and highlighted the importance of these processes for not just the regional stability but also their broader implications. He explained, “The modernization of the Middle Corridor, the increase of energy communication capacities are of vital importance for Europe and Asia.”
Post the 44-day war, Armenia and Turkey embarked on a new phase of normalizing their bilateral relations. Despite official statements claiming that the process is proceeding without any preconditions, Ankara has often been seen linking the reconciliation process with the state of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
Recently, Seydar Kılıç, the Turkish envoy, extended an invitation to his Armenian counterpart, Ruben Rubinyan, proposing a meeting in Yerevan the following week with the intention of making it a historic event. To this, Rubinyan responded by saying, “we will discuss.” The last face-to-face meeting between the envoys took place in Vienna in June 2022.
Following up on his invitation, Kilic reaffirmed his statement, emphasizing that a meeting has been decided upon and the details regarding its date and location would be determined soon.
On a related note, Rubinyan, in an interview with CNN TÜRK, confirmed that Armenia is prepared to fully normalize its relations with Turkey, signifying a potential breakthrough in the diplomatic stalemate.
