ANKARA: Turkish FM Gul meets with Armenian FM Oskanian

Anadolu Agency
June 28 2004

Turkish Foreign Minister Gul Meets With Armenian Foreign Minister
Oskanyan

ISTANBUL – Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister
Abdullah Gul met on Monday with Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanyan.

Oskanyan said that they would like to develop relations between
Turkey and Armenia, adding that Armenian government has the political
will in this issue. He also expressed pleasure over flights which
were started from Turkey to Armenia.

Gul, in return, said that Turkey has the same will in development of
relations between two countries.

However, Gul added, there were some issues on which two countries
were sensitive and he noted that a common ground should be
established for this issue.

Noting that time was needed for the solution of problems, Gul stated
Cyprus issue as an example and said that the problem should be
overcome with the same understanding. Both sides said that
rapprochement between the two countries would contribute to the
implementation of the stability plan that NATO elaborated for
Caucasus.

The two sides also agreed in principle to hold
Turkey-Azerbaijan-Armenia tripartite meetings on foreign ministers
level, on the margin of international summits.