Medvedev extends support for Turkish-Armenian normalization preocess

Speaking at a joint press conference following his talks with President Abdullah Gul at the Cankaya Presidential Palace in Ankara yesterday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, on a two-day landmark official visit to Turkey, expressed support for the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations, which hit a snag after Yerevan's decision to freeze the ratification of rapprochement protocols with Ankara. Medvedev said Russia is closely monitoring developments and hopes the process that gained momentum with the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia last October will continue. The normalization will contribute to regional stability, improve economic relations, and raise living standards, he said. "We support this process, and we will make use of our resources, but the concerned parties will make the final decision," he said. On the territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Medvedev said the row over Nagorno-Karabakh is a challenging issue but not the sole issue in the Caucasus. He said he had offered Russia's mediation to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, and organized negotiations in Russia, and that such initiatives would continue. On bilateral relations, Medvedev said he discussed Turkey and Russia's contributions to regional and global stability with Gul, and referred to their responsibility in the Black Sea basin. Medvedev said they again confirmed the two countries' will to jointly fight terrorism, adding that they would do their best to improve anti-terror cooperation among their security, military and intelligence units. Medvedev said his country and Turkey share similar views on how to solve the Middle East's problems and that they could make the Mideast peace process more active. All countries should work hard to solve problems in the region, Medvedev said. He urged that all concerned parties be allowed to take part in the process, adding that no solution is possible with a division between different Palestinian groups. Medvedev said the US should be more active on this issue, and the Middle East should be a region free of nuclear weapons. "The presence of nuclear weapons and their use would be a disaster," he said. Medvedev said they had also spoken about Iraq and Iran, and Russia's stance on Iran is close to that of Turkey. Medvedev said measures to ensure stability should be taken, Iran should assume a constructive approach, and a peaceful solution should be found. "If a country implements its own nuclear program, it will rapidly destabilize balances and lead to serious consequences," he said. Medvedev said Russia wants to use all its resources and continue talks with particularly Iran, Israel and other countries involved in the process. "I am hopeful that it will be possible to get out of this complicated situation, but it is a challenging one," he said. Russia and Turkey are also interested in stability in the Caucasus, Medvedev said. Medvedev said both countries are working to solve the Karabakh dispute, and Russia would continue the process and consultations with Turkey. "Turkish and Russian partnership is in line with the best interests of our nations, and it is one of the elements promoting regional peace," he also said. Gul and Medvedev also took up the Balkans and Cyprus. As part of his visit, Medvedev and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also preside over a meeting of the Turkish-Russian Business Forum.