New EuFoA paper calls for EU action on Armenia-Turkey rapprochement

http://www.eufoa.org/publication

This paper analyses the current stage of the Armenia-Turkey rapprochement and reflects exclusive inputs from high-ranking officials very closely involved in the process on both sides. It also provides policy recommendations for the EU’s short-term action.

“Having analysed both countries’ timetables, we are actually very pessimistic. The window of opportunity for a normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey is likely to close soon, unless both parties ratify the protocols without delay. The EU needs to push Turkey to be serious about this ratification, if we want to achieve our longstanding goal of peace and stability in the region”, says Secretary General Michael Kambeck. The paper also shows that Turkey’s approach, keeping the ratification open until after their parliamentary elections, exposes the whole process to a long list of risks. This issue was also discussed at the event “Turkey and Armenia: The Way Forward” organised on 2 December in Brussels by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, in cooperation with EuFoA. EuFoA is happy to provide commenting or background analysis in English, German, French, Italian, Russian and Armenian. Members of the Europe-Armenia Advisory Council may also be available for comments; for enquiries please contact our secretariat. For more information on EuFoA and the Europe-Armenia Advisory Council, please visit our website at www.eufoa.org.