Foreign Ministry denies any ‘secret talks’ with Turkey over rapprochement

There is no secret negotiation process between Armenia and Turkey, Spokesperson for Armenia’s Foreign Ministry Tigran Balayan told Tert.am, commenting on a statement by member of Sardarapat movement Tigran Khzmalyan.

“No talks are being held between Armenia and Turkey,” Mr Balayan said.

Mr Khzmalyan had in a session by Sardarapat’s Foreign Relation’s Committee earlier today said that high-ranking Armenian and Turkish officials currently are holding secret negotiations in Rome, Italy, aimed at restoring the ratification of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols and normalization of the relations between the two countries.

He had also said that from the Armenian side former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian and chief advisor to the president during Levon Ter-Petrosyan term in office Zhirayr Liparityan are representing Armenia in those secret talks.

The Armenia-Turkey normalization process was halted this spring when Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree and suspended the ratification of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols in the parliament only after Turkey linked their ratification to the settlement Nagorno Karabakh conflict.