 WASHINGTON
(Combined Sources)—Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
told reporters after his meeting with President Obama that the
normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations was contingent on the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict.According to Erdogan, the
US and Turkish leaders discussed relations between Azerbaijan
and Armenia.
“This is important in the context of relations between Turkey
and Armenia,” he said, adding that the two also discussed the
Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.
On the issue of Turkish-Armenian reconciliation, Obama said
Erdogan had been “courageous” in his efforts to normalize the
decades-old resentment and bitterness.
Obama and Erdogan were also reported to have discussed Iran.
According to Reuters, Obama said on Monday that Turkey could be
an “important player” in efforts to resolve the long-running
dispute over Iran’s nuclear program.
The US President made the statement during a White House
meeting with Erdogan, who said his country stands ready to do
whatever it can to achieve a diplomatic solution to the issue.
Obama said he had stressed the importance of resolving the
dispute “in a way that allows Iran to pursue peaceful nuclear
energy, but provides assurances that it will abide by
international rules and norms.”
“I believe that Turkey can be an important player in trying
to move Iran in that direction,” the president was quoted as
saying by AFP.
Obama also praised Turkey for its role in Afghanistan, where
it has some 1,700 troops.
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