Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations
U.S. president thinks Turkish-Armenian negotiations can bear fruit
The U.S. president said on Monday that Turkish-Armenian negotiations could bear fruit.
U.S. President Barack Obama said that negotiations between Turkey and Armenia could bear fruit very quickly. "If they can move forward and deal with a difficult and tragic history, then I think the entire world should encourage that," Obama told a joint press conference with Turkish President Abdullah Gül in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
Obama also said, "what I have been very encouraged by is news that under President Gül's leadership you are seeing a series of negotiations, a process in place between Armenia and Turkey to resolve a whole host of long-standing issues including this one."
"I want to be as encouraging as possible around those negotiations which are moving forward and could bear fruit very quickly."
Obama said that there had been a steady improvement in Turkish-U.S. relations since 2003 despite some problems, and said what he wanted to do was to further improve relations.
The U.S. president said that the terrorist organization PKK was in the U.S. terrorist watch list, and reiterated his country's support for countering terrorism.
Obama said that cooperation against terrorism had born fruit in recent years and terrorist attacks reduced, and pledged to maintain support for fight against terrorism.
The president said both countries thought that terrorism could no way be justified.
Obama said, "Turkey and the United States can build a model partnership in which a predominantly Christian nation and a predominantly Muslim nation -- a Western nation and a nation that straddles two continents -- that we can create a modern international community that is respectful, that is secure, that is prosperous, that there are not tensions, inevitable tensions, between cultures -- which I think is extraordinarily important."
"That's something that;s very important to me," Obama also said.
Obama said, "one of the great strengths of the United States is that it does not consider itself a Christian nation or a xxxish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values. I think modern Turkey was founded with a similar set of principles."
The president said that if the West and East acted together, they could give a message to the world and create an extraordinary effect.
Obama also said that he was looking forward to see that partnership soon.
06 April 2009, Monday
THE ANATOLIA NEWS AGENCY ANKARA
U.S. president thinks Turkish-Armenian negotiations can bear fruit
The U.S. president said on Monday that Turkish-Armenian negotiations could bear fruit.
U.S. President Barack Obama said that negotiations between Turkey and Armenia could bear fruit very quickly. "If they can move forward and deal with a difficult and tragic history, then I think the entire world should encourage that," Obama told a joint press conference with Turkish President Abdullah Gül in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
Obama also said, "what I have been very encouraged by is news that under President Gül's leadership you are seeing a series of negotiations, a process in place between Armenia and Turkey to resolve a whole host of long-standing issues including this one."
"I want to be as encouraging as possible around those negotiations which are moving forward and could bear fruit very quickly."
Obama said that there had been a steady improvement in Turkish-U.S. relations since 2003 despite some problems, and said what he wanted to do was to further improve relations.
The U.S. president said that the terrorist organization PKK was in the U.S. terrorist watch list, and reiterated his country's support for countering terrorism.
Obama said that cooperation against terrorism had born fruit in recent years and terrorist attacks reduced, and pledged to maintain support for fight against terrorism.
The president said both countries thought that terrorism could no way be justified.
Obama said, "Turkey and the United States can build a model partnership in which a predominantly Christian nation and a predominantly Muslim nation -- a Western nation and a nation that straddles two continents -- that we can create a modern international community that is respectful, that is secure, that is prosperous, that there are not tensions, inevitable tensions, between cultures -- which I think is extraordinarily important."
"That's something that;s very important to me," Obama also said.
Obama said, "one of the great strengths of the United States is that it does not consider itself a Christian nation or a xxxish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values. I think modern Turkey was founded with a similar set of principles."
The president said that if the West and East acted together, they could give a message to the world and create an extraordinary effect.
Obama also said that he was looking forward to see that partnership soon.
06 April 2009, Monday
THE ANATOLIA NEWS AGENCY ANKARA
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