Deputy parliament speaker Ruben Rubinian discussed the talks with Yerevan-based diplomats from the U.S., European Union member states as well as Britain and Switzerland.
“The parties touched upon the process of normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations and regional developments,” read a short statement on the meeting released by the Armenian parliament’s press office.
“Ruben Rubinian presented Armenia’s positions and priorities in this context, stressing the need for the international community’s support in these issues,” added the statement. It gave no other details.
Rubinian, 32, represents Armenia in the negotiations on normalizing its relations with Turkey that officially began in January. He and veteran Turkish diplomat Serdar Kilic held a third round of the talks in Vienna on March 3.
In identical statements on that meeting, the Armenian and Turkish foreign ministries described it as “sincere and productive.” They also said the two envoys reaffirmed their intention to “continue the process without preconditions.”
Ankara has for decades linked the establishment of diplomatic relations with Yerevan and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border to a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Azerbaijan. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has repeatedly said that his government coordinates the Turkish-Armenian dialogue with Baku.
Armenian leaders have said, for their part, that they want an unconditional normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties.
Speaking to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service last week, the spiritual leader of Turkey’s small Armenian community, Patriarch Sahak Mashalian, suggested that Ankara is seeking a package deal with Yerevan that would also cover the Karabakh issue.
The ongoing dialogue between the two neighboring countries has been welcomed by the U.S., the EU and Russia. Visiting Washington on May 2, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan praised “U.S. support through the Armenia-Turkey normalization process.”
