TABDC (TURKEY):
Tel: 90 (212) 236 00 17 Fax: 90 (212) 259 72 51
Email : tabdc@tabdc.org
Web site:

TABDC (ARMENIA) :Tel: 374 (10) 35 11 80 Fax: 374 (10) 35 12 40
Other TABDC branches
TABDC EU(Belgium) :Tel : 32 (495) 77 08 67. Email : tabdc-eu@skynet.be
TABDC (USA) :Tel: 1 (516) 869-7525 Fax: 1 (516) 365-0560

TURKISH – ARMENIAN
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
TABDC

***** TABDC encourage EU to build bridges between Turkey and Armenia –
A delegation meets with senior EU officials

Yerevan, Ankara, 27 April 2007. On April 18 and 19, a delegation of the
Turkish Armenian Business Development Council met with European
Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn and with EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby. Mr Rehn plays a
leading role in preparing for Turkey’s accession to the European Union.
Mr Semneby has the responsibility of coordinating EU relations with the
South Caucasus countries and contributing to conflict resolution in the
region.

The TABDC delegation also met with experts and staff in think-tanks,
NGOs and EU institutions whose work touch upon relations between Armenia
and Turkey. The TABDC delegation was composed of Noyan Soyak, Burcu
Gültekin and Nicolas Tavitian.

The purpose of the visit was to brief EU leaders and opinion formers on
the status of relations between the two republics of Turkey and Armenia
and to encourage the EU to contribute to the normalisation of relations
between them. EU candidate country Turkey has kept the joint border
closed since 1993 and has no diplomatic relations with neighbouring
Armenia.

The delegation briefed the Commissioner for enlargement on the issue of
Turkish-Armenian relations and forwards their recommendations. They
stressed the importance of the issue, emphasizing in particular the
positive impact which the normalization of relations between Turkey and
Armenia would have on the Nagorno-Karabakh process, on stability and
development in the Southern Caucasus in general. They further
highlighted how both Turkey’s and Armenia’s relations with the European
Union would benefit, should relations be normalized, and encouraged the
EU to play an active role in mediating in good faith between the two
countries.

The TABDC representatives emphasized furthermore how little has been
done so far by the EU Institutions. There is no dialogue between
Armenian and Turkish authorities to speak of, and initiatives by
business or civil society to build bridges between the two countries are
virtually non-existent due to the many obstacles. Europe therefore also
has a role to play in ensuring that cross-border cooperation and
"people-to-people" exchanges are initiated between Turkey and Armenia
without further delay in preparation for the full restoration of
relations between the two countries.

Both EU Commissioner Olli Rehn and Peter Semneby agreed on the
importance of Turkey’s relations with Armenia. They expressed their
commitment to the issue and their support for bridge-building
initiatives. They also referred to the important role which the
Armenian Diaspora in Europe could play in the process.

The Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council is a non-governmental
network of Armenian and Turkish business leaders working since 1997 for
the restoration of normal relations between Turkey and Armenia and for
the reopening of their common border.

+++++++++++

*** TABDC Visits San Marino

San Marino April 11, 2007 –

The Turkish Armenian Business Development Council delegation, headed by
the Co-Chairman Kaan Soyak was introduced by Angelo Boccardelli,
Chairman of the Foundation "Giacomo Maria Ugolini Ambassador", to the
President of the Council of Europe H.E. Fiorenzo Stolfi who’s also the
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Republic of San Marino.
During the meeting, TABDC and the Foundation GMU shared the current
situation between Armenia and Turkey and several possible solutions were
discussed. In particular, the TABDC and the Foundation GMU expressed
their support for the establishment of Intergovernmental Commissions
between the two Governments to work on all the issues including history.
The Foundation "Giacomo Maria Ugolini Ambassador" of the Republic of San
Marino is willing to Team with the Turkish Armenian Business Development
Council and be active in the Reconciliation process in order to bring
Peace and Development in the Caucasus. In order to favor the
Reconciliation process, H.E. Fiorenzo Stolfi expressed his interest in
inviting the representatives of the Intergovernmental Commissions of the
two Countries to work in San Marino, the "Oldest Republic of the World"
and the symbol of "Liberty and Peace".
In this context, the Foundation GMU has in its calendar several
conferences and seminars promoting and supporting Turkey’s accession
into Europe