Protocols Must be Ratified Without Being Tied to Other Issues: Miroslav Lajčák

Slovakia supports Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, said Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Miroslav Lajčák, who is in Yerevan for a two-day visit, upon the invitation of his Armenian counterpart, Edward Nalbandian.

“We support the processes which led to the signing of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols. Of course, we would like those Protocols to be ratified in the Armenian and Turkish parliaments without being linked to other issues and without any preconditions,” said Lajčák.

Referring to Turkey’s EU accession, Lajčák said: “Turkey is a candidate for EU membership which awards it some status. On the other hand, Turkey should clearly fulfill all the conditions and obligations it has assumed in order for that process to succeed. Whether there will be progess in that issue depends on how Turkey will behave.”

Lajčák also said that EU is keeping a close eye on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process and backs the OSCE Minsk Group efforts and the process itself, based on the Madrid Principles.