Ankara Determined to Initiate Talks with Armenian Diaspora

While Ministry of Foreign Affairs Intelligence and Research Department General Director Ambassador Ecvet Tezcan's meeting with the Armenian American Assembly (AAA) in Washington recently was criticized by Azerbaijan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul expressed Turkey's intention to be a catalyst in improving Azerbaijani-Armenian relations. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) said the meeting with Tezcan should only happen on condition that Turkey acknowledge the so-called genocide. ANCA called for other Armenian organizations not to meet with Tezcan. However, it was stated that, not following ANCA's call, AAA had a useful meeting with Tezcan. While diplomatic sources note that Turkey's contact with the Armenians was purely coincidence, the Armenian organizations view Turkey's contact as an attempt against the so-called genocide drafts on the agenda of the US Congress. Commenting on the unofficial talks between Turkey and Armenia, Foreign Minister Gul stated that the Azeri-Armenian issue had existed for a long time and in the interests of a solution, both parties had to take great responsibilities. With the purpose of having direct contact with Armenian organizations and prominent representatives of the Armenian community in the US for the first time, Ambassador Tezcan had gone to US at the beginning of the week. After meeting American officials in Washington DC, Tezcan will go to Los Angeles, where a large Armenian population resides.