TURKEY READY TO END ROW WITH ARMENIA
PRESS TV
April 21 2008
Iran
Turkey says it is planning to start negotiations with Armenia in a
bid to normalize relations between the two neighboring states.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on Monday he had told his
Armenian counterpart that Ankara was "open to dialogue with the aim
of normalizing Turkish-Armenian ties in the new era," AP reported.
"Admittedly we have problems, some of which date back 100 years,"
Babacan said."But the only way of overcoming these problems is through
dialogue. Our doors are open to dialogue in this new period."
Armenian officials have not yet commented on Babacan’s remarks.
Ties between the two states have been strained over several issues
including Armenia’s allegation that Turkey had killed 1.5 millions
Armenians during the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
Ankara rejects the allegations saying the killings occurred at a time
of civil conflict and that the casualty figures are inflated.
During the 1993 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Turkey closed
its borders with Armenia, causing economic problems for the country.