As strained relations with Turkey thaw, Obama pledges more efforts to solve Nagorno-Karabakh İssue

On the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in Washington, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with US President Barack Obama, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also in attendance. Iran's controversial nuclear program and the stalled normalization process between Turkey and Armenia dominated the meeting, which lasted longer than it was previously planned. The Turkish and US leaders also discussed various issues of common concern during the meeting, which was reportedly friendly and sincere. Erdogan briefed Obama about Turkey's efforts to ensure peace and stability in the Caucasus and the Middle East. Reiterating Turkey's commitment to the rapprochement protocols with Armenia signed last fall, Erdogan reportedly urged that actions and words that could threaten the countries' normalization process be avoided. Erdogan also stressed the importance of Obama not using the word "genocide" in his April 24 speech marking Armenian Remembrance Day, for the future of the process, which floundered after a US House committee and the Swedish Parliament separately adopted resolutions seeking official recognition of the so-called Armenian "genocide" claims. For his part, Obama reportedly renewed his call for ratification of the protocols by the Turkish and Armenian parliaments, while pledging to do more to reach a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue between Azerbaijan and Armenia. During the meeting, it was also agreed that Clinton and Davutoglu would continue their efforts for peace and stability in the Caucasus. Clinton will continue shuttle diplomacy between Turkey and Armenia to revive the stalled normalization process, to help ratification of the normalization protocols, and to ensure progress in negotiations to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Erdogan and Obama reportedly also exchanged views on a road map to put the rapprochement protocols into practice, and discussed specific steps that could be taken in this context, such as Azerbaijan and Armenia simultaneously withdrawing troops around Nagorno-Karabakh, and Turkey and Armenia opening their shared border. On Iran's controversial nuclear program, Erdogan said there is still room for diplomacy before pursuing tougher sanctions. In response, Obama praised Turkey's efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the issue and asked it to continue its efforts. Erdogan yesterday also met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and asked for Russian support to step up negotiations as part of the Minsk process to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. In related news, Clinton and Davutoglu had a separate meeting as well. Clinton yesterday also had pull-aside meetings with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.