EU urges Armenia, Turkey to speed up reconciliation

Moratinos — whose country holds the six-month rotating EU presidency — urged both countries to ratify two protocols they signed in October to establish diplomatic ties and reopen a shared border.

"The EU urges Armenia and Turkey to ratify the protocols in a reasonable time and without preconditions," Moratinos said after talks in Yerevan with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

The signing of the deals was hailed internationally as a key step in overcoming decades of enmity.

But ratification by both countries' parliaments has stalled as the two sides have traded accusations of trying to modify the deal.

Moratinos is on two-day visit to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia on behalf of EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton.


/Hurriyet Daily News/