Spaanse minister buitenlandse zaken bezoekt Kaukasus: 'versterken toetredingsonderhandelingen Turkije gewenst' (en)

Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, advocated the possibility of Turkey joining the EU in the future, claiming that it's membership of the EU would be positive for the development of the Caucasus.

Speaking in Erevan on the first stage of his tour of the Southern Caucasus which took him to Azerbaijan on Tuesday and to Georgia on Wednesday, Mr Moratinos said, "This is good for the whole region because Turkey can play a constructive and positive role".

During a press conference held in the Armenian capital Erevan, together with his colleague Edvard Nalbandián, Mr Moratinos stressed that the Spanish Presidency is in favour of progressing Turkey's negotiations, which has fallen out with Armenia, to join the EU.

Mr Moratinos said that the European Council has already given the go-ahead for Turkey's membership, provided the country can comply with conditions imposed in areas such as justice, human rights and gender equality.

On 10 October, Turkey and Armenia signed a historic agreement in Zurich (Switzerland) to re-establishing diplomatic relations and reopen the border separating the two countries after nearly a century of hostilities.

On behalf of the Spanish Presidency of the EU and as representative of the head of European diplomacy, Catherine Ashton, Mr Moratinos offered the EU's help to create the "best climate" to enable both countries to complete ratification of the agreement.

One of the obstacles is that Azerbaijan, a long-standing ally of Ankara, is not in favour of the agreement with Armenia due to the Nagorno Karabaj conflict. This enclave, situated in Azerbaijan territory but under Armenian control, led to a war (1991-1994) which terminated in a cease-fire but did not succeed in defining the status of the region.