Breaking News: Kerry Blasts Turkey for Insinuating that Washington Plotted Coup of Erdogan

July 16, 2016 By administrator

The United States expressed concern that their longtime NATO ally and critical regional partner believed that Washington would try to overthrow their government calling the claims “harmful to bilateral relations.”

US Secretary of State John Kerry told Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavosoglu on Saturday that public claims suggesting that American officials masterminded the failed coup attempt in Turkey were categorically false and were harmful to relations between the two longtime NATO allies.

Kerry urged Turkey to show restraint in the wake of the coup attempt and to follow the rule of law closely in its investigation into the plot, State Department spokesman John Kirby explained in a statement.

“He made clear that the United States would be willing to provide assistance to Turkish authorities conducting this investigation, but that public insinuations or claims about any role by the United States in the failed coup attempt are utterly false and harmful to our bilateral relations,” said Kirby.

Earlier in the day Labor Minister Süleyman Soylu created a firestorm when he publicly claimed that Washington was behind the coup in Turkey.

“The US is behind the coup attempt. A few journals that are published there [in the US] have been conducting activities for several months. For many months we have sent requests to the US concerning Fethullah Gulen. The US must extradite him,” said Soylu.

The attempted coup has left 265 people dead and over 2,000 wounded across the country. Erdogan’s regime has responded by cracking down with fury imprisoning 2,745 opposition judges and arresting over 2,800 soldiers alleged sympathetic to the coup bid.

Serzh Sargsyan, John Kerry discuss Karabakh peace in Poland

July 9, 2016 By administrator

_{Official statement by the press office of the Armenian president}
President Serzh Sargsyan, who is the Republic of Poland on a working visit, on Friday evening met with the US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the NATO Summit.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Sargsyan expressed condolences to Secretary Kerry on the tragic incident which took place in Dallas, Texas.

The President of Armenia and Secretary of State Kerry discussed issues related to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. President Sargsyan highly valued efforts of the United States as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group aimed at preservation of peace and stability in the region. On the occasion of the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan once again expressed his gratitude to Secretary Kerry for the practical steps directed at de-escalation of the tense situation created in the conflict zone which resulted from the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan in April against Nagorno Karabakh. These steps also made possible the meetings in Vienna and Saint Petersburg and adoption of joint declarations.
Serzh Sargsyan and John Kerry spoke also about issues discussed by Presidents of Russia and the United States on July 6 which were related at the resolution of the NK issue. The parties once again reiterated the importance of the unconditional implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna and Saint Petersburg.

Kerry, Lavrov Hold Phone Talks On Karabakh

April 4, 2016 By administrator

Russia — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) greets US Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting in Moscow, March 24, 2016

US. Secretary State of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a phone call on Monday, reiterating their governments’ calls for an immediate halt to continuing hostilities there.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two men voiced “serious concern at the escalation of the confrontation” in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict zone.

“It was agreed that Russia, the U.S. and France, as co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, will step up their efforts to foster a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” read a ministry statement.

“Sergey Lavrov and John Kerry condemned attempts by certain ‘external players’ to whip up the standoff around Karabakh,” it added without elaborating.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow earlier in the day, Lavrov warned against attempts to “undermine the role of the Minsk Group co-chairs” and seek a different format for the Karabakh negotiation process. He spoke of forces keen to “seriously complicate the settlement process” but did not name them.

Azerbaijan as well as its ally Turkey have repeatedly criticized the U.S., Russian and French mediators.

Lavrov implicitly warned the Turks against meddling in the Karabakh conflict but stopped short of blaming them for the outbreak of heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. “I don’t want to judge what role Ankara has or has not played with regard to Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said. “But it would be good for everyone, including Turkey and the Turkish people, if Ankara concentrated on ending support for terrorism.”

The TASS news agency quoted Lavrov as also saying that that Russia and the two other mediating powers are making “energetic efforts” to stop the fighting along “the line of contact” around Karabakh. “These efforts will continue in order to ensure a return to the ceasefire regime,” he said.

The spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Moscow is engaged in an “intensive dialogue” with Armenia and Azerbaijan “at the ministerial level.” The official, Dmitry Peskov, would not say whether Putin plans to host an emergency meeting of his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts.

“Any summit needs to be properly prepared for,” Peskov said, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.

Kerry: United States stands with Armenia as a partner and friend

September 22, 2014 By administrator

US Secretary of State John Kerry has issued an address on the 23rd anniversary of Armenia’s Independence Day.

“On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Armenia as you celebrate your independence day this September 21.

“The deep bonds between the United States and Armenia are strong. We will continue to strengthen our partnership with Armenia in various dimensions including security cooperation, economic and democratic development, and expanding people-to-people exchanges. This is also a special occasion to honor the achievements of Armenians and Armenian-Americans who have contributed to the development of both countries.

“As you celebrate 23 years of independence, know that the United States stands with Armenia as a partner and friend. I congratulate all Armenians on this important holiday and wish you great success in the year to come,” Kerry’s statement reads.

Earlier, US President Barack Obama had issued a message of congratulations to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on the 23rd anniversary of Independence Day.