Turkey expects Armenia's progress over Azerbaijani ties

Head of a Turkish parliamentary committee has said relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan should get "a bit riper" before a debate was launched on the committee floor over protocols Ankara and Yerevan signed to normalize relations.

"We are all eager to bring the protocols to the committee and the parliamentary floor, and we do want to see relations get normal but at this time it would be in vain to debate the issue which is highly likely to be revoked by the committee," Murat Mercan, chairman of foreign relations committee with the Turkish parliament, told reporters on Friday.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols last October to resume diplomatic ties and normalize relations.

Armenia and Azerbaijan waged a six-year war over Upper Karabakh in Azerbaijan. The region has been occupied by Armenia since a 1994 cease-fire, but is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Turkey cut all diplomatic ties with Armenia after the occupation, and a border gate between the two countries has remained closed since then.

"The Turkish people are very sensitive about the rapprochement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as Azerbaijan's rights. Efforts to settle problems between [Baku and Yerevan] would help Turkey ratifying the protocols," Mercan said.

/World Bulletin/